T20 WC: Time for Sri Lanka's next-gen players to conquer cricket again
Sunday, 17 October 2021 (13:59 IST)
Dubai: The new-look Sri Lankan squad will be looking to grab the chance to show to the world that they are ready to conquer cricket again and put an end to the transitional phase of the side at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021.
It has undoubtedly been a transitional period for Sri Lanka over the past few years, as their mega stars including Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, retired from international cricket. Given these departures, any nation would struggle to adjust to.
Since Sri Lanka have had a lean period, they find themselves in the First Round of the T20 World Cup rather than as automatic qualifiers for the Super 12 stage.
T20I cricket has not been kind to them lately, with the islanders suffering the most losses of any team in the shortest format of the game since the last T20 World Cup in 2016.
The challenge of finding their feet at this edition also has not been made easier either with the year-long suspensions served to three experienced campaigners.
The youngsters would like to step up and make themselves known in the absence of Niroshna Dickwella, Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka, who were served bans for breaching the bio-secure bubble in England. Indeed, some of them have already started to seize their opportunity.
There is 24-year-old Charith Asalanka, who was Player of the Series in Sri Lanka's recent ODI series win over South Africa. There is Avishka Fernando, who has averaged 119.5 across Sri Lanka's four practice matches in the lead-up to the tournament.
There is Kamindu Mendis, who can bowl with both arms and hit the ball a long way, and seamer Chamika Karunaratne who can also hit the ball a long way.
There has also been the return to the fray for proven performers like Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera, making an experienced core alongside captain Dasun Shana, all-rounder Dhananjaya De Silva and speedster Dushmantha Chameera.
On top of all that, the Sri Lankans have the services of Wanindu Hasaranga, who sits second on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I bowling rankings. Hasaranga is averaging 13.15 with the ball in T20Is this year while leaking just 5.59 runs per over. There's not a team in the world looking forward to facing him.
Quite simply, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about what this Sri Lankan team will bring to the table. It must be remembered that the T20 World Cup has always been Sri Lanka's happy place. Their 22 Men's T20 World Cup match wins are the most of any nation in the tournament's history.
They have literally been the team to beat with more appearances in the Final than any nation. The upcoming edition of the tournament in Oman and UAE is Sri Lanka's chance to re-emerge as a T20I force to be marvelled.
