Sri Lanka’s preparation for the 2015 World Cup wasn’t really up to the scratch but they would be hoping their senior members can use their experience to guide the team to a top-notch performance in the tournament.
In the recently-concluded seven-match series against New Zealand, Sri Lanka fell behind 4-1 before winning the final ODI to gain some respectability. Going into the World Cup they will be expected to make the quarter-final but how much further they go will be dependent on the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, T Dilshan and Lasith Malinga.
Three of those players, their top three batsmen in Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Dilshan have some form going into the tournament but Sri Lanka’s biggest concern will be quick bowler Malinga, who hasn’t played since his Champions League 2014 foray in September.
Malinga underwent a surgery and was tipped to return back to the side before the World Cup but it will be interesting to see whether he will feature in Sri Lanka’s warm-up games. Sri Lanka take on South Africa and Zimbabwe in their two warm-up games on February 9 and 11 and if Malinga fails to play in those matches or if he does not feel too good after turning out in them, there could be worries galore for the side.
The quick bowler has an excellent array of fuller and slower deliveries that are hard to pick because of his round arm action and having scalped 271 wickets from 177 ODIs, Malinga is their most experienced bowler as well. If he isn’t at his 100%, life could get even more difficult for the Lankans.
Of course, with Sangakkara and Jayawardene having already announced that they will be retiring from cricket at the end of the World Cup, it will be an added incentive for them to get going in the tournament as well.
Sangakkara’s form in recent times has been well-chronicled. He is coming off scores of 38, 76, 9, 81 and 113* in the ODI series against New Zealand after having hit a double-century in one of the Tests against the same team. Jayawardene started off that series with a century and then scored 94 in the fourth ODI to beef up his form too.
Sri Lanka will start as one of the underdogs because of the alien conditions in which the tournament will be played but it must be said that they have the right ingredients to go the distance. The only worry for them is for those ingredients to come together at the same time.
They open their campaign against New Zealand at Christchurch on February 14.
