The national cricket team left for England in the early hours of Monday with several issues to sort out and they have three warm up games to settle down before their campaign begins in Cardiff on the 9th June against New Zealand.
The Sri Lankans will play three warm-up games against West Indies, Pakistan and India and their top order batsmen will look to regain the lost touch.
Senior players Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene all struggled during the Indian Premier League. Sangakkara was the captain of the Hyderabad franchise, but his employers opted to leave him half way through the tournament due to poor form. He hasn’t played a game since 8th of May. Dilshan last played for his Bangalore franchise a month ago on the 27th of April. Mahela played continuously, but his form was patchy and the Delhi franchise that he led ended up last in the points table.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) conducted an highly competitive triangular competition at Pallekele as preparation for the tournament, but nine players of the 15 member squad were absent from the event due to the IPL. The saddest part is that most of them were just warming the benches in India.
Sri Lanka are pooled in a tough group alongside defending champions Australia, hosts England and New Zealand. Sri Lanka’s games against England and Australia will be played on the 13th and 17th of June at the Oval in London.
Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara was withdrawn from the tour party due to injury and the selectors brought in Dilhara Lokuhettige.
Sri Lanka’s best show in Champions Trophy was in 2002 when they hosted the event and emerged joint-champions alongside India. In 2004, 2006 and 2009 they failed to reach the semi-finals. This is the last Champions Trophy tournament as the ICC plans to get rid of the competition and introduce the World Test Championship from 2017 onwards.
Sri Lanka squad:
Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Shaminda Eranga, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Jeewan Mendis, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake and Lahiru Thirimanne.
Sri Lanka’s match schedule
June 9th – vs New Zealand in Cardiff
June 13th – vs England at Oval
June 17th – vs Australia at Oval
