Up and rising: Will this talented Sri Lankan team bring their glory days back?
At a cursory glance, Sri Lanka’s performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup does not seem anything but ordinary. The T20 champions of 2014 had failed to secure a direct entry in the Super 12 this year and needed to prove themselves to get there. In the Super 12 stage, they crashed out with two wins from their five matches. While the numbers may suggest that Sri Lanka bowed out with a whimper, the island nation actually put up an impressive show.
Rising above the negativity
It is no secret that the Sri Lankan side is not as convincing as it used to be a few years ago. They were a force to reckon with in all three formats and had an impressive record in the T20Is. They arrived in the 2021 T20 World Cup with 10 series losses in their last 12 bilateral series. This year, they suspended three of their cricketers for a bio-bubble breach. With them having to qualify for the main draw, not a lot was expected from them.
But the Sri Lankan team shined. And they found new heroes. Mahesh Theekshana, the 21-year old mystery spinner, showed signs for carrying and bolstering the craft of Ajantha Mendis. Pathum Nissanka, the 23-year old opener, gave ample proof of being a reliable pillar for his side. In Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara, the island nation boasts of their fastest pair of pace bowlers. The likes of Charith Asalanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa impressed with their power-packed strokes while Wanindu Hasaranga is a Sri Lankan superstar in the making.
Sri Lanka’s pace attack has an average speed of 135kph this World Cup – only Pakistan have bowled quicker. #T20WorldCup #AUSvSL
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 28, 2021
The Sri Lankan domination was there to see in the initial round of the T20 WC. They bowled out Namibia for 96 and won by seven wickets. Nissanka and Hasaranga added 123 runs for the 4th wicket as they recovered from 8/3 to eventually posting a winning score of 171/7 against Ireland. The Netherlands proved no match to the Lankan bowling unit as they folded up for just 44 runs.
Exciting talents
In the Super 12 stage, Sri Lanka picked up two wins as they defeated Bangladesh and West Indies. David Miller’s incredible assault in the last over snatched away a possible Lankan victory. Against England, they had snared three wickets in the powerplay but Jos Buttler survived and he gave them a tonking to remember. Australia defeated the Lankan lions fair and square.
From the campaign, Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka emerged as the top run-getters for Sri Lanka. Asalanka scored 231 runs in six matches with an average of 46.20 and at a strike rate of 147.13. Nissanka, the anchor, followed him with 221 runs. Rajapaksa also impressed with a fifty. The Sri Lankan batting gave a decent performance despite Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando having a horrible tournament.
Things you love to see 😍
No.1 T20I bowler in the world – Wanindu Hasaranga 🙌
🌎 1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/bQezFxiKas— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) November 3, 2021
Hasaranga, foxing the batsmen with his googlies, topped the wickets tally for his nation and of the tournament. He claimed 16 wickets in eight matches, double than that of Theekshana and Lahiru Kumara who share second place. Chameera, who was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore in this IPL season, snared seven wickets.
The World Cup campaign has given Sri Lanka a solid core to build upon. A wily leg-spinner, an improving mystery-spinner, high pace bowlers, a solid opener and explosive middle-order batsmen are the strong foundations that the Lankans have. They now need to trust them and keep searching for newer talents who can complete a power-packed T20 unit. With such talents at their disposal, Sri Lanka could well dream of reliving their glory days.
