Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Problem of plenty for Sri Lanka's selectors as team sets off for Australia

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Friday, 18 October 2019 07:25

With the T20 World Cup less than a year away, Sri Lanka believe this month's tour of Australia - where the World Cup will be held - will prove the ideal testing ground for their crop of youngsters to prove themselves in conditions Down Under.

"I'm happy [that such a young team] managed to beat the number one team [Pakistan] in the world," T20I captain Lasith Malinga said at Friday's media briefing in Colombo. "It's important to show Sri Lanka's depth of talent. But the conditions and wickets [in Australia] will likely be different.

"If we perform well in those conditions, then it will bode well for our preparations for the World Cup. And if you perform well on this tour, there will be a good chance of those players making it to the World Cup as well."

That said, Sri Lanka will also be touring India for a T20I series before the World Cup, where conditions will be markedly different from those expected in Australia. For Malinga, while identifying form players is important, equally as important is identifying a set of players capable of making the right decisions under pressure.

"In T20 cricket it's important to understand that decisions need to be taken quickly on the field, more so than in 50-over cricket or Test cricket," Malinga said. "You can win a match solely on one decision that a player makes. Because of that, just as important as talent is a player's decision-making in matches, the way a player thinks in the middle of a game. So we're looking for intelligent players capable of winning a game.

"We need around 11-12 players of this calibre in our squad, and that way we can always have about six to seven at the very least in a game, players capable of winning matches in key moments."

From the new faces that were included in the squad that toured Pakistan, the selectors have retained the two standout performers in Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Oshada Fernando. Making their way back into the squad, meanwhile, have been Malinga, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Janith Perera.

For interim head coach Rumesh Ratnayake, the hope is that the returning players will make a winning combination even stronger.

"Australia is a huge challenge, regardless of the level you play them at that," Ratnayake said. "In cricket, they have been among the best in all formats for the past 20 years. And the four players coming into the squad will certainly strengthen us. It's a stronger team. And we're very confident that we can challenge Australia."

In terms of selecting the final playing XI, Chief Selector Ashantha De Mel admitted that it would be a challenge considering that some of the returning players hadn't played cricket in quite some time. Eventually, he said, form would be the deciding factor.

"I think winning is important but what we're looking at more is form," de Mel said. "In Pakistan some of the players showed that they were in good form, so when we go to Australia it's a challenge for us [the selectors] also. We'll have to discuss with the captain and see.

"Then we'll also have to see what the form is of the new players that are coming in, because they haven't played cricket for a month, we'll also have to take that into account when we're selecting the final XI."

Sri Lanka play Australia in three T20Is with the first game taking place in Adelaide on October 27.

Read 304 times

Soccer

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Diego Simeone's 700th game in charge of Atlético Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alave...

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Aston Villa and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has signed a m...

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has hit back at anyone questioning Bukayo Saka's commi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

EmailPrintThe NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes followi...

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

EmailPrintNew Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has undergone multiple treatments on his left ha...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated