The Sri Lanka Cricket Team: A Hope for the Future
Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, arisne of the most passionate and talented teams in the world, with a proud history and a huge fan base. The team won one World Cup, in 1996, and has reached the finals three times, in 2007, 2011, and 2014. The team is currently ranked eighth in the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings for Teams, behind Bangladesh.
The Sri Lanka cricket team is looking forward to participating in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be hosted by India from October 5 to November 19. The team, led by Dasun Shanaka, has a balanced and young squad, with some experienced players and some promising newcomers. In this blog post, we will look at Sri Lanka’s squad, schedule, performance in the previous edition, and their chances of winning the trophy for the second time.
Sri Lanka Squad for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Sri Lanka have announced a 15-member squad for the World Cup, with some changes from the one that lost all their nine matches in 2019. Here is the full list of players:
- Dasun Shanaka © (allrounder)
- Kusal Mendis (vc) (wicketkeeper-batter)
- Kusal Perera (wicketkeeper-batter)
- Pathum Nissanka (opening batter)
- Dimuth Karunaratne (opening batter)
- Sadeera Samarawickrama (wicketkeeper-batter)
- Charith Asalanka (batting allrounder)
- Dhananjaya de Silva (allrounder)
- Dushan Hemantha (allrounder)
- Maheesh Theekshana (bowler)
- Dunith Wellalage (bowler)
- Kasun Rajitha (bowler)
- Matheesha Pathirana (bowler)
- Lahiru Kumara (bowler)
- Dilshan Madushanka (bowler)
Some of the notable inclusions are Pathum Nissanka, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, and Matheesha Pathirana, who have performed well in the domestic circuit and have earned their maiden World Cup call-ups. Some of the notable exclusions are Angelo Mathews, who retired from ODI cricket after the 2019 World Cup, Lasith Malinga, who retired from international cricket after the 2019 World Cup, and Avishka Fernando, who was dropped due to poor form.
Here is a table for the team players using name and type:
| Player | Type |
|---|---|
| Dasun Shanaka | Allrounder |
| Kusal Mendis | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Kusal Perera | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Pathum Nissanka | Opening batter |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | Opening batter |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Charith Asalanka | Batting allrounder |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | Allrounder |
| Dushan Hemantha | Allrounder |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Bowler |
| Dunith Wellalage | Bowler |
| Kasun Rajitha | Bowler |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Bowler |
| Lahiru Kumara | Bowler |
| Dilshan Madushanka | Bowler |
Sri Lanka Schedule for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Sri Lanka are placed in Group A along with England, South Africa, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Netherlands, and Bangladesh. They will play eight matches in the group stage, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. Here is Sri Lanka’s schedule for the World Cup:
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 7 | Bangladesh | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 08:30 UTC |
| October 10 | Pakistan | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 08:30 UTC |
| October 14 | South Africa | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 08:30 UTC |
| October 21 | Netherlands | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 05:00 UTC |
| October 25 | Afghanistan | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 08:30 UTC |
| October 31 | India | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 08:30 UTC |
| November 4 | England | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 08:30 UTC |
| November 8 | New Zealand | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 08:30 UTC |
Sri Lanka Performance in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019
Sri Lanka had a disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, finishing sixth in the table in the group stage with three wins and four losses. They failed to qualify for the semi-finals, despite having some close matches. They won against Afghanistan by 34 runs (DLS method), England by 20 runs, and West Indies by 23 runs. They lost to New Zealand by 10 wickets, Australia by 87 runs, South Africa by nine wickets, and India by seven wickets.
Some of the key players for Sri Lanka in the 2019 World Cup were Dimuth Karunaratne, who scored 254 runs and became the highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the tournament, Lasith Malinga, who took 13 wickets and became the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the tournament, Angelo Mathews, who scored 244 runs and became the second-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the tournament, and Avishka Fernando, who scored 203 runs and became the youngest player to score a century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match.
Sri Lanka Chances of Winning ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Sri Lanka have a slim chance of winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, as they have a young and inexperienced team that lacks consistency and depth. They have a decent batting line-up that can score runs and handle pressure. They have a spin-heavy bowling attack that can take wickets and create chances. They also have some quality all-rounders who can contribute with both bat and ball. They have a record of winning in India, as they won the World Cup in 1996 and reached the final in 2011.
However, Sri Lanka also face some challenges and threats in their quest for glory. They have to cope with the absence of some key players like Mathews, Malinga, and Fernando, who were part of their 2019 squad. They have to deal with some tough competition from other teams like England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa, who have their own strengths and ambitions.
Sri Lanka will have to play their best cricket and overcome all the obstacles to achieve their dream of becoming the second team to win two World Cups. It will be a fascinating and exciting journey for them and their fans.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post about the Sri Lanka cricket team for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Please share your thoughts and comments below. Thank you for your time and attention. 😊
