Rejuvenated Sri Lanka take on India in opener
2018 NIDAHAS TROPHY T20 TRI SERIES:
A rejuvenated Sri Lanka, fresh from a clean sweep over Bangladesh, basks in an expectant new groove going into the 2018 Nidahas Trophy T20 Day-Night Tri Series Tournament also featuring India and Bangladesh which gets underway on March 6. The strong point that Dinesh Chandimal’s charges will carry to the tournament is the new depth Sri Lanka showcased in routing Bangladesh 2-nil in a rehashed batting order plonked by new Head Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe.
Centring on pinch hitters Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka taking strike in the pivotal No.3 and 4 numbers richly paid off. Particularly Perera taking strike upfront from a hitherto late order slot that saw the left hander in a reincarnated stroke making display unleashing some cameo knocks that took the sails off Bangladesh. It has indeed fired the imagination of Sri Lankan cricket fans as the Lankan think tank has touched new gear theming on several new options toyed with by Head Coach Hathurusinghe. His decision saw a new spring in the step of the side’s run making particularly when chasing victory targets with the 26-year old Perera and Dasun Shanaka delivering.
In effect, Hathurusinghe’s tactical approach of rotating players at any given time has seen a marked change in the Lankan team outlook in all three departments of the game. The host team will of course strive to break India’s T20 domination when they meet in the round robin basis tournament opener on March 6 at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Both sides will be minus blockbuster performers; Sri Lanka’s regular captain Angelo Mathews while India are without regular captain Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in also featuring Bangladesh which gets underway Fresh from beating Bangladesh 2-nil in an away series under the wings of home grown Head Coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, the Lankans have raised their morale following some pleasing individual performances mainly from the batters that contributed to that success. Sri Lanka does bask in a past aura of having defeated India in the final in becoming World T20 champions in 2014.
Statistically, India have 5 T20 series wins from 6 against Sri Lanka with 1 drawn. Sri Lanka would of course, derive a confidence boost of having beaten India in a major championship final – the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. India too won the big stakes inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 defeating Pakistan in the final. India also won the T20 Asia Cup in 2015-16 defeating Bangladesh in the final.
Sri Lanka holds the edge over Bangladesh having drawn the 2017 2-match series 1-all. In effect, on the form book, Bangladesh will be the dark horse to stage a tournament surprise.
Interestingly, according to latest ICC team rankings as of February 24, India is placed 3rd with a rating of 122 with 3,770 points from 31 matches next to Pakistan and Australia. Sri Lanka is 8th having moved up from 9th place with a rating of 91 from 2,635 points from 29 matches while Bangladesh is 10th rated 72 with 1,367 points from 19 matches.
The Sri Lankan selectors have named a 15-member squad with Hathurusinghe also a co-selector. The one change is wicket-keeper batsman Kusal Janith Perera replacing regular glove man Niroshan Dickwella who has had a lean run lately.
Sri Lanka Squad: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Suranga Lakmal (vc), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjaya De Silva.
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
