Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Preview: Time for Islanders to emulate KKR

Sri Lanka's last triumph at the T20 World Cup came back in 2014, under the leadership of the legendary pacer Lasith Malinga. It remains a cherished memory for their fans. During that tournament, the team lost only one game against England, showcasing a remarkable run to lift the trophy. Since then, their performance in subsequent editions, however, has failed to live up to that golden standard.

Placed in a challenging Group D alongside quality teams like South Africa and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka face an uphill battle. Their defeat in the warm-up match against the Netherlands, who they'll play again in the league stage, has further intensified the competition in their group.

In the previous T20 World Cup edition, Sri Lanka fell short of reaching the knockout stages, winning only 2 out of their 5 group matches. Despite this, they remain a team no opponent can afford to underestimate.

The Sri Lankan cricket board has entrusted experienced all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga with the captaincy for this T20 World Cup. Hasaranga is returning after recovering from a chronic heel injury, which even kept him out of the IPL. In addition, Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madhushanka are both available, which would come as a big boost for the Islanders. They'd be hoping for the trio to shake off any rustiness before their tournament opener against South Africa on June 3rd.

Sri Lanka also possess a well-balanced batting lineup bolstered by the return of veteran Angelo Mathews, who provides much-needed stability in the middle order. They've got enough experience in their batting ranks in the form of Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and Dasun Shanka among others. On slower pitches, their spin attack can also be particularly lethal. But the absence of a genuine power-hitter in the lower order might pose challenges.

Despite entering the competition as underdogs, Hasaranga and his team will aim to improve upon their previous performances and perhaps even end their decade-long title drought, just like KKR did in IPL 2024.

Sri Lankan squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka

Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.

Sri Lanka team schedule for T20 World Cup 2024

• Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 4th Match, Group D, June - 3, 8:00 PM IST
• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, 15th Match, Group D, June - 7, 6:00 AM IST (June 08)
• Sri Lanka vs Nepal, 23rd Match, Group D, June - 3, 5:00 AM IST (June 12)
• Sri Lanka vs Netherlands, 38th Match, Group D, June - 16, 6:00 AM IST (June 17)