Fired up Sri Lanka brace for T20 World Cup standoff with curtain raiser vs Namibia on Sunday
PREVIEW: The T20 World Cup 2022 in Australian terrain will be the challenging frontier Sri Lanka’s exuberant young cricketers led by Dasun Shanaka will necessarily have to go past the might of world cricket in the fast and furious paced short version showpiece of the game that unfolds on Sunday October 16. While the Lankans should predictably have it easy in the curtain raiser versus Namibia in the Group stage at Kardina Park, Geelong, going past the tip of the iceberg like acid test will be the high road in that standoff for the high stakes trophy glitter in the lions den or backyard of reigning champions Australia with other heavyweights England, India, South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan in the fray.
It is a fired up buoyant exuberant young Lankan outfit that has kindled a devilishly daring streak from a starting past of the inocuous on the blocks to the fruition of challenging the best in the world arena that has evoked a great expectancy back home that Sri Lanka would scale that iceberg. Awesome looks the challenge ahead looking at the giant opposition fronting given the galvanising big names in the game of the tried and tested super star might Shanaka’s charges would come head-on in that thrust to needle. But rolling over the best is the reality in that fling that beckons for the type of unrelenting, explosive brand of cricket to performing the herculean.
In that countdown, it is the fizz of strong arm muscle Shanaka’s men have put on in a progressive build up to raising their hands to delivering that has raised hope among cricket crazy Sri Lankans that their Lions can do it. The culminating aroma to it has been some recent telling triumphs. If the recent Asia Cup success has been the driving force to that buoyancy the fact that Sri Lanka brought down reigning champions Australia when they last met back home in July is a plus factor. A measure of young talent of unpolished gems uncovered from the length and breadth of Sri Lanka at the grassroots that have gone through the mill to peaking geared to playing smart, attacking cricket under the dictum of England born Head Coach Chris Silverwood has indeed produced a team with the prowess to walking the big walk.
The Squad
- Dasun Shanaka – Captain
- Danushka Gunathilaka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kusal Mendis – Wicket Keeper/Batsman
- Charith Asalanka
- Bhanuka Rajapaksa – Wicket Keeper/Batsman
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Jeffrey Vandersay
- Chamika Karunaratne
- Dushmantha Chameera (Subject to fitness)
- Lahiru Kumara (Subject to fitness)
- Dilshan Madushanka
- Promod Madushan
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
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