News, Rugby May 26, 2019

Swathe of regulars left out of Sri Lanka ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 squad

Swathe of regulars left out of Sri Lanka ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 squad
Sri Lanka’s initial ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 squad announcement was as remarkable for its exclusions as it was for its spectacular comebacks. An element of a gamble with the fifteen selected but form is form as they say, Expat Sport and their roving reporter examine the plot as it unfolded.

First off the unexpected returns to the fold, Milinda Siriwardana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Jeevan Mendis all made incredible comebacks. Siriwardana and Vandersay last played one-day internationals in October 2017, while Jeevan Mendis’ most recent appearance in the format was over four years ago in the 2015 World Cup game against Afghanistan.
In terms of the personnel considered to be established Lions team members that failed to make the plane, dismissals included: Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga and Akila Dananjaya, while a further four ‘regulars’: Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Kasun Rajitha, and Wanindu Hasaranga were merely placed on standby.
The selectors wielded a substantial axe following Sri Lanka’s recent tour to South Africa, which resulted in a sweeping 5-0 whitewash in the ODI series. However, Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando, the Lions’ top run-makers in that series with averages of 40 and 31 respectively, retained their places in the squad.
Angelo Mathews, among the side’s most experienced ODI cricketers with 203 matches under his belt, was returned to the squad after discontent over his fitness surfaced last year which led to him being dropped from the national one-day group altogether. Mathews’ World Cup all-rounder colleagues will be: Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana superb in South Africa with his batting average of 55, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeevan Mendis and Siriwardana.
Named skipper for the South Africa tour SL Malinga, will lead the line in Sri Lanka’s bowling attack at the World Cup, while opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne assumes the captaincy. Meanwhile seamers Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal dovetail neatly into the bowling line-up, with Vandersay brought in as the lone specialist spinner.
Sri Lanka squad named for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019:
Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffery Vandersay, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chaminda Vaas, a winner at the 1996 Cricket World Cup, who played 322 one-day internationals for his country, taking 400 wickets in the process, now involved in the Sri Lanka national side’s coaching set-up is convinced that The Lions include some ‘”special” cricketers. However, he believes that unity plus a collective bond and conscience is essential to The Tigers success in the latest edition of the tournament.
“Sri Lanka are an unpredictable team,” Vas told media.
“They need to be united, and there are special cricketers who can perform extremely well there [in England and Wales]. If they have the team spirit, unity amongst the team, I think Sri Lanka will do well in the World Cup.
“After 1999 until now, we have got to finals and semi-finals, and when it comes to important games such as the World Cup, our guys have done really well.

“It is now time for young guys to take the initiative to perform well and I’m sure when given the chance they will grab it from both ends and perform well for Sri Lanka.”
Vaas takes the view that a lot rests on Malinga shoulders as a truly world-class, player:
“There is no doubt that Malinga is one of the best in the world, and the best in Sri Lanka. We depend on him as a bowler, and he [has] showed his leadership qualities.
“He has given 100 per cent for the team. We have seen him playing in Mumbai [Indian Premier League (IPL)] on one day and playing in Sri Lanka [in a domestic tournament] the next day. It shows the commitment he has, and the commitment he has to the team and the country. He will be the key for Sri Lanka cricket in the upcoming World Cup.”
Moving on to Dimuth Karunaratne’s appointment as captain, Vaas admits that Sri Lanka’s frequent changes of captain over the past two years plus have generally had negative effect on team stability, but hopes for the best from Karunaratne:
“The selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket have put their trust in Dimuth, and given him an opportunity to captain the side. I’m pretty sure the team will unite [under him] and will do well in the upcoming World Cup.”
Looking at the overall selection, despite the upheaval of rapidly revolving door which has seen large numbers of established players heading for the exit as well as recalled players arriving in their places, Vaas thinks the selectors have done a decent job:
“For the last few months, Sri Lanka hasn’t done so well. But if you analyse the combination of the team which we picked for the World Cup, I’m pretty sure that the selectors have done the right thing. We have to take it from there, and it’s up to the players to get themselves in and play well for the country.”
And his final piece of advice for the bowlers:
“Do not take short cuts, give 100 percent, focus on fitness, focus on endurance stuff and bend your back and bowl. Don’t keep it for the next game, what you can do today, do it. Do it for your country, remember where you come from, don’t give excuses, make sure you are humble and when people try to criticise, you take it in the right way.”

Sri Lanka World Cup squad current stats:
Specialist-Batsmen:
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain – Opening left-hand batsman 17 ODIs Batting average 15.83 Highest Score 60), Avishka Fernando (Opening right-hand batsman 5 ODIs Batting average 14.20 Highest Score 71), Lahiru Thirimanne (Top-order right-hand batsman 117 ODIs Batting average 34.65 Highest Score 139 not out),
All-rounders:
Angelo Mathews (Right-hand batsman, 203 ODIs Batting average 42.36 Highest Score 139 not out: Right-arm medium 114 wickets, Best bowling figures 6 for 20), Dhananjaya de Silva (Right-hand batsman, 32 ODIs Batting average 26.19 Highest Score 84: Right-arm offbreak 15 wickets, Best bowling figures 3 for 41), Thisara Perera (Left-hand batsman, 153 ODIs Batting average 20.64 Highest Score 140: Right-arm medium-fast 169 wickets, Best bowling figures 6 for 44), Isuru Udana (Right-hand batsman, 5 ODIs Batting average 55.00 Highest Score 78: Left-arm medium-fast 2 wickets, Best bowling figures 2 for 50), Jeevan Mendis (Left-hand batsman, 54 ODIs Batting average 20.13 Highest Score 72: Left-arm legbreak 28 wickets, Best bowling figures 3 for 15), Milinda Siriwardana (Left-hand batsman, 26 ODIs Batting average 23.31 Highest Score 66: Left-arm legbreak 9 wickets, Best bowling figures 2 for 27),
Kusal Perera (Wicketkeeper-left-hand batsman 88 ODIs Batting average 29.26 Highest Score 135), Kusal Mendis (Wicketkeeper-right-hand batsman 62 ODIs Batting average 28.03 Highest Score 102)
Specialist-Bowlers:
Jeffery Vandersay (Right-arm legbreak 11 ODIs 10 wickets: Best bowling figures 3 for 50), Lasith Malinga (Right-arm fast 218 ODIs 322 wickets: Best bowling figures 6 for 38), Suranga Lakmal (Right-arm fast-medium 81ODIs 105 wickets: Best bowling figures 4 for 13), Nuwan Pradeep (Right-arm fast-medium 34 ODIs 38 wickets: Best bowling figures 3 for 28)

Sri Lanka currently sit at 9 in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings, and their team selection to date has been ‘brave-new-world’ to say the least. The selectors have gone for a spinal cluster of reliable all-rounders with specialist discipline stars like Malinga and Angelo Mathews to lead from the front, intertwined with some undoubtedly talented rookies in and among. Whether this drastically changed side will cut the mustard remains to be seen, but once upon a time The Tigers were rather special to watch. There is a sneaking suspicion that given a united team spirit and that occasional slice of one-day luck they could well deliver performances well above their present ODI team ranking.

Sri Lanka kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on Saturday, 1st June, sadly the first of their ODIs against Scotland due to be played on 18th of May was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather.
Expat Sport’s Mac McTiernan examines Sri Lanka’s dramatic shift in selection strategy for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and sifts through a new look squad for those sparks that just might change the course of the tournament.