Tag of dark horses suits Sri Lanka fine

Sri Lankahad shocked the world when they won the 1996 World Cup by beating Australia in the final of the 50-over competition.

 

 

Nobody had really believed they could achieve the glory of becoming world champions.

 

 

They were runners-up to Pakistanin the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Englandlast year and they now have ambitions of going one better when the tournament in the Caribbean starts tomorrow.

 

My thoughts, as usual, are that it would be a great achievement if they reach the semi-final, although reaching the final and winning the trophy is not beyond their reach.

 

 

The Sri Lankans are pretty good cricketers and a few players like Kumar Sangakkara, their captain, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya, who has not been in great form of late, are all world-class performers with a bat in their hand and have been known to pulverise many a bowling attack.

 

But what the team need if these big guns fail are a few batsmen who can blast 20 or 30 runs from eight to 12 deliveries at the end of an innings, or have the ability to up a run-rate when the pressure is on.

 

 

They have a decent bowling line-up, which is led by the pace of Lasith Malinga and the wily off-breaks of Muttiah Muralitharan, but they will need a collective effort from the rest of their attack.

 

Malinga and Muralitharan were on top of their game in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and they should carry on that momentum on the slow wickets in the Caribbean.

 

 

Of the others bowlers Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv are both capable of playing important roles and picking up some crucial wickets.

 

 

Dilshan and Jayasuriya did not do well in the IPL but they are both capable of turning the game around, with both bat and ball.

 

Jayasuriya has a tendency to set records both on the field and off. He will become the first member of parliament to play on the big stage.

 

 

At 40, he is the oldest player in the competition but does not lag behind in ability.

 

 

He has won many a match since he broke into the international scene with his explosive batting in the 1996 World Cup, which was one of the catalysts for the run to the overall honours.

 

Dilshan’s form was a huge setback, but from what I know of him is not one to dwell on the past.

 

 

He is a very positive thinking cricketer who will be setting himself up for the big occasion with the in-form Jayawardene in a new opening combination in the Caribbean.

 

 

Angelo Mathews gives them the all-rounder option.

 

 

He had a decent IPL and shone with both bat and ball. His batting flourished when he was given the opportunity and excelled with his bowling, particularly his slow bouncer.

 

The rest of the squad have the potential to perform with great skill in the West Indies.

 

 

T20 games are very unpredictable because just one over could completely change the course of the match and it is very difficult to make a comeback due to the short duration of the game.

 

 

Any team can emerge winners on any given day in this short format.

 

 

Sri Lanka has faced up to many difficulties over the years, three decades of war on its own soil, air attacks at home during last year’s T20 World Cup and the attack on players in Pakistan, but these have not diffused their love for the game.

 

Sri Lankahave always been the dark horses in all the World Cups. But fortunately for them, they are not hounded by the media like players are in India. So expectations are much lower and that should allow them to play without pressure.

 

 

But as the Sri Lankan saying goes – even when the ship sinks the band will not stop playing.

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