Sri Lanka will be eyeing their second T20 World Cup title in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Just over a decade ago, the Islanders used to perform consistently well in the ICC competitions but the situation has changed in the recent past.
Following the retirement of legendary cricketers such as Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga and few others, Sri Lanka have been struggling to mount a serious challenge in the ICC competitions. However, they are more than capable of doing well in the upcoming competition.
They have a number of talented cricketers in their team who have done well especially in T20s in recent times and will be hoping that they deliver in the marquee event. Their victory in the 2022 Asia Cup is a testament of their talent and they would be looking to replicate that performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka are in Group D along with South Africa, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Netherlands. They will open their campaign against the Proteas on June 3 before taking on Bangladesh on June 7. It will be followed by games against Nepal and the Netherlands on June 11 and 16 respectively. Now before they take the field for the tournament, we are taking a look at their squad's strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Sri Lanka squad SWOT analysis:
Strength:
Matheesha Pathirana:
One of Sri Lanka's biggest strength in the T20 World Cup will be their star pacer Matheesha Pathirana. The right-arm pacer is fast becoming one of the most sought after T20 bowlers in the world. He recently became the most expensive player in the Lanka Premier League and will be desperate to live up to the expectations.
While Matheesha Pathirana has already become a popular name in the cricketing world thanks to his exploits in the IPL, he is yet to fire in the international arena. And he would not be getting any bigger stage than the World Cup to announce his arrival in international cricket.
In the IPL this year, he could play only six games due to injuries but still managed to make an impact. In those six games, he picked up an impressive 13 wickets while maintaining an economy-rate of less than 8. Pathirana has the ability to not only take wickets at any stage of the game but can also bowl economical overs even in the death. Sri Lanka will be relying on him heavily.
Spin bowling:
The performance of the spin bowlers could decide Sri Lanka's fate in the T20 World Cup. They have a star-studded spinner lineup and could cause a lot of problems for the other teams. Captain Wanindu Hasaranga will be spearheading the spin department and will have the company of Maheesh Theekshana who has ample experience in T20s.
Apart from Hasaranga and Theekshana, Sri Lanka will also have the options of Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage. All of them are more than handy spinners and have the ability to unsettle any team on their day.
Weakness:
Lack of power-hitters:
In a format where power-hitters often decide the outcome of a match, Sri Lanka could rue the lack of players who can take the attack to the opposition from the word go. The Sri Lankan selectors raised a number of eyebrows by deciding against selecting the likes of Kusal Perera and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the squad and only time will tell how the decision pans out.
Fragile middle-order:
While Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka form a reliable opening pair, the middle-order's unreliability will be a big concern for the Islanders. 25-year old Kamindu Mendis is likely to bat at number three and Sri Lanka will be hoping that the newcomer manages to deliver. He has played just 10 T20s so far and will have to come up with an extraordinary effort to do well in the World Cup.
The likes of Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka are the other middle-order options. The onus will be on former captain Dasun Shanaka and Angelo Mathews to lead the charge with the bat in the middle-order.
Opportunities:
History awaits Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka can become the first Asian country to win the T20 World Cup twice. At present, none of the Asian teams including India and Pakistan have managed to win the tournament more than once. India won their only title in 2007 before Pakistan lifted the title in 2009. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, won the competition in 2014. Since then, no Asian team has managed to win the T20 World Cup.
Threat:
Poor track record in recent ICC competitions:
Sri Lanka's poor track record in the recent ICC competitions could have a big psychological effect on the team and it could dent their confidence. Sri Lanka not only needs to beat the odds but also need to punch above their weight in order to do well in the T20 World Cup. For that to happen, they will need their confidence to be sky high.
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Sri Lanka squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2024:
Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka
Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bharuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.
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