Can the Lankans be Third Time Lucky?

Sri Lanka, the team which has managed to reach the finals of the previous two editions of World Cups is one of the most consistent teams when it comes to the ICC events. In 2007 they lost to Australia in the finals and it was India who got the better of them at Wankhede in 2011, but can they turn the tide this time around and win the prestigious tournament for the second time? We bring you a SWOT analysis of the Sri Lankan cricket team.

Strengths:

 

A lot will depend on the experienced batting trio of Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene and Tilakaratne Dilshan. Sanga, especially has been in prime form recently in New Zealand, scoring 321 runs in the series at an average of 53.5 which includes a match winning century in the final ODI. Dilshan will have the responsibility of providing a good start to the team with his counter attacking style of play while Jayawardene will play the role of an anchor and provide stability in the middle. Their captain, Angelo Mathews is currently one of the best all-rounders in the world who is incredibly talented and intelligent to adapt to different situations. Mathews has pulled off several heists as a finisher in limited overs cricket and is a handy medium pacer as well who has a knack of picking up wickets. Malinga will be Sri Lanka’s trump card. His toe crushing yorkers will keep the batsmen in check during the slog overs and he can also pick up wickets during the power-plays with his pace variations. He has the ability to wipe the tail with ease and bring the opposition’s innings to an abrupt end.

Weakness:

Sri Lankan lower middle order has been very inconsistent. Players like Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thirimane and Chandimal have to step up and take responsibility to guide the team to a safe total. Apart from Malinga, no other fast bowler has the ability to bowl at the death. Kulasekara, Lakmal and Prasad have all struggled to hit the right length in the slog overs.

Opportunities:

 

The spinners will have an important role to play in the middle overs and this is where Rangana Herath will come into play to stagnate the flow of runs. He is an experienced campaigner and has a lot of variations in his arsenal to trouble the batsmen. Even Dilshan is a decent off spinner and together with Herath they will look to frustrate the batsmen.

Threats:

 

The Lankans haven’t performed well in Australia and New Zealand in the recent past. They recently lost both the test series and ODIs to the Kiwis in New Zealand. This might be on the back of their minds and when the blackcaps face them in the group stages, they’ll surely have a psychological advantage over Sri Lanka.

The batsmen have struggled against pace and bounce and whenever there is some genuine swing, the openers have looked scratchy.

Edited by Shivang Aggarwal