CWC 2019, SWOT Analysis – Sri Lanka

Things are not looking great for Sri Lankan cricket heading into the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The side is unsettled and things were complicated even further when the selectors made a host of changes to the squad. The leadership has also been changed with Dimuth Karunaratne taking over the reins from Lasith Malinga not long ago.

Many players have made a comeback into the squad after a long time and will be straight back into the thick of the action, playing in a World Cup. On paper, Sri Lanka appears to be one of the weakest squads on paper. But many of their players will have a big point to prove and this factor could well work in their favour.

Here, we do a SWOT analysis of the Sri Lankan squad for the World Cup:

Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis (wk), Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.

Strengths –

Sri Lanka does have some experienced performers in their ranks, who have been big players in the international arena. The likes of Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne and Lasith Malinga have won Sri Lanka a number of matches over the years and the team management will be banking upon them to do the job again. Kusal Perera will also have his confidence high after a brilliant knock of 153 in a Test match against South Africa, regarded by many as one of the greatest in the history of the game. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne has also emerged as a fine opener, especially in the Test format and will look to translate that form in ODI cricket.

Weaknesses –

The current Sri Lankan squad has a dearth of genuine world-class quality and match-winners amongst their ranks. Though the likes of Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga have been fine performers in the past, age and injuries have taken their toll. The selectors have also shot themselves in the foot by chopping and changing a lot when it came to the final squad selection. Not including the likes of former captain Dinesh Chandimal, opener Upul Tharanga, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and spinner Akila Dananjaya was a bold decision and could backfire spectacularly. The likes of Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana and Jeffrey Vandersay have also made a stunning comeback, not having played international cricket for a long time. In terms of the very basics of the game, Sri Lanka neither has the depth in the batting department, not the penetration in their bowling unit to mount a serious challenge to any of the big teams.

Opportunities –

Not many have given Sri Lanka any chance of performing well heading into the tournament. This could work in their favour and they could fly under the radar in the tournament, sneaking in a couple of victories. Many personnel in their squads are virtual unknowns and the mystery surrounding them could also work well for the Lankans. The lack of pressure would allow the players the freedom to express themselves and this could well make the 1996 champions a dangerous proposition for many teams.

Threats –

There is a serious lack of cohesiveness in the current squad. With the number of changes which the selectors have made, the current set of players have hardly had any game-time together, depriving them of the opportunity to gel as a unit together. This could prove to be lethal as there is already a genuine dearth of quality in the Sri Lankan squad right now.