TEAM GUIDE: SRI LANKA

ON THE WANE

It is a difficult time for Sri Lankan cricket.

Results have been largely troubling, particularly in the limited-overs arena, and the team go into the competition as one of the rank underdogs.

Furthermore, a curious squad selection - with the likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Akila Dananjaya and Niroshan Dickwella all left out, and batsman Dimuth Karunaratne installed as captain despite a miserable ODI record - has not given Sri Lanka fans much hope. Could the team, prove everyone wrong?

THE PREVIEW

THE SQUAD

THE FORM

A DIFFICULT ERA

No bilateral ODI series victory since 2016, just one win in 10 matches going into the World Cup warm-up campaign and a team that is constantly being chopped and changed to within an inch of its life... it's not a happy time to be following Sri Lanka.

Their 2018 Asia Cup campaign ended with them bottom of a group including Bangladesh and Afghanistan, a home series defeat by England followed and then two successive whitewashes - in New Zealand and South Africa.

Not a good look.

PRE-WC 2019 RESULTS (most recent first):  LLLLLLLLWL

THE HISTORY

PUNCHING ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT

Winning the World Cup signifies a significant landmark in any country’s history, but it was particularly pertinent for Sri Lanka after their triumph in 1996 when they co-hosted the tournament with India and Pakistan.


Their record before that moment was rather modest, having been eliminated at the first time of asking in each of the previous tournaments, but their four-pronged spin attack of Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Dharmasena and Aravinda de Silva, along with the latter’s century in the final against Australia, steered them home to a maiden tournament win.


The Aussies took revenge some 11 years later in the West Indies with a 53-run victory in Barbados via Duckworth Lewis, and the Lankans would also succumb to another final defeat four years later against India having posted a competitive 275 to win following Mahela Jayawardena’s century. Turmoil has haunted the Sri Lankan side since the last World Cup, where they were knocked out by South Africa at the quarter-final stage.

WORLD CUP RECORD

1975: Group stages

1979: Group stages

1983: Group stages

1987: Group stages

1992: Group stages

1996: Winners

1999: Group stages

2003: Semi-finals

2007: Runners-up

2011: Runners-up

2015: Quarter-finals

THE NEWS FROM THE CAMP

WORLD CUP LATEST

TEAM GUIDES

GROUND GUIDES

LOADING

WORLD CUP LATEST

Units 7-8, 35-37 High St, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough, LE128PY

website@thecricketer.com

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.