Sri Lanka cricket are seeing the rise once again after a few years of being cast aside by the cricketing world. Despite the turmoil they face at home, the Sri Lankans won the 2022 Asia Cup for the 6th time. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the final by 23 runs to take home the title.
Sri Lanka will begin their T20 World Cup 2022 journey with the qualifying rounds before the Super 12 stages can begin. Sri Lanka with their flair and naturally gifted cricketers will be hurt by the prospect of having to qualify.
Strengths – Naturally attacking batters and spin department –
Asia Cup 2022 began with Sri Lanka having a complete batting collapse in the first game against Afghanistan. The eventual winners were bundled out for a score less than 110 and saw Afghanistan chase it down with ease. Later in the tournament openers, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis found their groove. Added with explosive batters like Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya De Silva and Charith Asalanka, the Sri Lankan batting isn’t a cause for concern.
Kusal Mendis – 27-year-old, Kusal Mendis has become one of the leading lights for Sri Lanka in recent times. Mendis scored 155 runs in the 2022 Asia Cup with 2 half centuries and a strike rate of nearly 157. Mendis will be a huge player come the 2022 T20 World Cup, as he reminds people of Romesh Kaluwitharana.
Pathum Nissanka – T20 World Cup 2022 will provide Pathum Nissanka and Sri Lanka the perfect chance to show the skills the 24 year old has. Nissanka scored 221 runs in the 2021 T20 world cup. During the 2022 Asia Cup he had scored 173 runs. In 29 career matches Nissanka has scored 801 runs with 7 half centuries.
Charith Asalanka – Considered one of the top prospects in world cricket, the left hander has the style and panache to woo any cricket fan with his shots. Asalanka comes into the T20 World Cup 2022 with just 9 runs from 4 games in the 2022 Asia Cup. There is no denying his class with the bat.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa – Rajapaksa has developed into one of the fiercest batters in the world cricket right now. The left hander comes into 2022 T20 world cup on the back of the 70 plus he scored in the 2022 Asia Cup to guide Sri Lanka to a famous win. Rajapaksa is a naturally gifted and attacking batter with the ability to take any attack on.
Wanindu Hasaranga – Sri Lanka currently possess one of the leading gems in world cricket. Hasaranga comes into 2022 T20 World cup as a complete cricket package. He can bowl, he has power hitting skills and he is a terrific fielder. Hasaranga has 448 tuns in the 44 games he has played with 1 half century. With the ball he has picked 71 wickets with an economy of 6.7 runs per over.
Maheesh Theekshana – The 22 year old off spinner is already a leading bowling for IPL side Chennai Super Kings due to his variations. Theekshana played a stellar role in the 2022 Asia Cup win for Sri Lanka with 6 wickets. Theekshana will have a big role to play in the 2022 T20 World Cup as well. He has played 24 games and picked 22 wickets with an economy rate of 6.5 runs per over.
Weakness- Injury record and top order strike rates plus lack of back up wicket keeper –
Sri Lanka have two fast bowlers who can clock 150 KPH with ease in 30 year old Dushmanta Chameera and Lahiru Kumara. Both the fast bowlers though are just coming back from injuries. Shanaka cannot afford to have his fast bowling duo walk out with yet another injury during the course of the tournament.
Another nagging weakness which is glaring is the strike rate issue. None of the top 3 batters, Mendis, Nissanka or Asalanka have good strike rates. This is where the opposition bowlers could target them, as the trio have the batting strike rates below 130. The inability to start off aggressively might come back to haunt them against some of the opposition with superior pace bowling power at their disposal during the tournament.
Another glaring weakness is the lack of back up wicket keeper. Kusal Mendis will not only play as the opener but is also the sole wicket keeper in the side. Incase of an injury during the game, the Sri Lankans could find themselves in a world of trouble with none to fall back on as far as replacements or options are concerned.
Opportunities – Chance for Shanaka to create a repeat of 1996 –
Dasun Shanaka was entrusted the task of making Sri lanka a viable force again and he began with the 2022 Asia Cup title. The 2022 T20 World Cup will be a bigger chance and platform for Shanaka to showcase the skills his young team has at their disposal. Shanaka just like Arjuna Ranatunga in 1996 has a young squad which is hungry for success. Sri Lanka will hope and want Shanaka to tell his boys and encourage them to play the courageous cricket they have been playing so far.
Threats – Lack of experience in Australian conditions
The Sri Lankan team which heads to the 2022 T20 World Cup will be concerned with the fact that some of these players are playing for the first time in Australia. The conditions Down Under can be unforgiving and if a player gets into a bad patch of form, it can have a huge dent in the confidence of the player and the team. Sri Lanka and their coach Chris Silverwood will be wary of this fact.
Sri Lanka squad for T20 World Cup 2022 –
Charith Asalanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmanta Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana and Jefferey Vandersay.
Captain – Dasun Shanaka
Wicket Keeper – Kusal Mendis
Previous record – Winners 2014, Runners up 2009, 2012, Semi finals in 2010.