World Cup 2023 Review: Sri Lanka – Injury-marred Lankan flounder
Sri Lanka’s chances in the ODI World Cup 2023 took a major blow when star players like Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera were not picked in the 15-man squad as they were recuperating from injuries. The latter replaced an injured Lahiru Kumara in the second half of the tournament but the ship had already sailed by then for the former champions.
The campaign went from bad to worse as regular captain Dasun Shanaka was ruled out with an injury. Kusal Mendis started the tournament on a fabulous note but after stepping in as captain for the injured Shanaka, his form dipped alarmingly. In the end, Sri Lanka finished ninth on the points table with just two wins and seven losses in nine games. They also could not seal qualification for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy as the teams that finished in the top eight only made the cut.
Top batter
Sadeera Samarawickrama
The talented right-handed batter showed glimpses of his talent in the Asia Cup that preceded the World Cup. In the 10-team competition, Samarawickrama played nine games and scored 373 runs at an average of 53.28 and a strike rate of 102.19. He notched up one century and two half-centuries in the tournament.
Top bowler
Dilshan Madushanka
Maushanka’s performance was one of the rare positives to emerge from Sri Lanka’s dismal World Cup campaign. He finished the tournament as the third-highest wicket-taker, bagging 21 wickets in nine games at an average of 25 and a strike rate of 22.38. The left-arm seamer has a bright future if he can keep himself grounded. X-factor player
Pathum Nissanka
The opening batter is one of the most promising young talents in Sri Lankan cricket at present. He showed good technique during some of the knocks he played during the competition. Nissanka finished with 332 runs from nine games at an average of 41.50 and a strike rate of 89.48. He also scored four fifties during the tournament.
Most memorable moment
Sri Lanka largely had a forgettable tournament and quite ironically there most memorable moment is equally forgettable from the team’s perspective. In the match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, one of the most talk-about incidents in the World Cup took place as veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews was timed out after an appeal from Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.
The former Sri Lankan captain wasn’t amused. He showed Shakib that the strap of his helmet was broken and that was the reason behind his delay. However, the Bangladesh all-rounder didn’t withdraw his appeal. This didn’t sit well with many experts as Shakib received considerable flak following the incident. The event was emblematic of Sri Lanka’s tumultuous campaign in which they always ran behind their competitors.
