Sri Lanka SWOT analysis for Asia Cup 2023
Sri Lanka have named an injury-ridden 15-member squad for the Asia Cup that started today. 4 matches will be played in Pakistan, while 9 matches will be played in Sri Lanka. It is the first time that the multi-national tournament has been hosted by two countries.
Sri Lanka's opening game in the Asia Cup is against Bangladesh on August 31 in Pallekele. They won the previous edition of the tournament last year, defeating Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. However, the format of the competition was T20 last year, while this year it will be ODIs.
The island nation recently won the Cricket World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe. They defeated the Netherlands in the final.
They also defeated Afghanistan in a three-match series at home in June. However, they failed to defeat New Zealand and India, losing all five matches against them this year.
Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vc), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.
On that note, let's analyse their squad for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Strengths: Current form
Sri Lanka are coming into the tournament after winning the Cricket World Cup qualifiers in June and July. They won all eight matches in the competition.
While their opponents were not the strongest, the winning momentum will definitely prove handy as they start their Asia Cup campaign.
They also defeated Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe at home in the last couple of years. This proves that they can also perform against top-quality sides, provided they play to their potential.
Pathum Nissanka will be the key; he is the glue that holds their batting together. Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis are also high-value players in these conditions.
Weaknesses: Absence of key players
Wanindu Hasaranga was the highest wicket-taker and run-getter in the recently concluded Lanka Premier League.
He is arguably their most important player in limited-overs cricket. However, he will miss out on the tournament because of a thigh strain.
Dushmantha Chameera has a pectoral injury; Dilshan Madushanka hurt himself during a practice match last week; and Lahiru Kumara has a side strain.
This means that there would be a lot of responsibility for their bowling attack to step up for these valuable cricketers.
Opportunities: Proving their worth against top teams
Since the 2019 World Cup, Sri Lanka have a win-loss record of 6-14 from 21 matches against the top six teams.
However, they do a good job of defeating middle- and bottom-table teams. If they play their cards right, they can qualify for the final of the tournament.
The likes of Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana have experienced playing against the best players in the world in the Indian Premier League.
If they perform to the best of their abilities, Sri Lanka would definitely expect their young guns to step up in the absence of their more experienced players.
Threats: Tricky group
Sri Lanka have been placed in the more competitive group in the Asia Cup.
They will face Bangladesh at the Pallekele Stadium on August 31 and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium on September 5. Neither of the two games are likely to be pushovers.
If they lose a match, things might come down to the net run rate. Hence, the hosts would have to play some top-quality cricket in order to book their berth in the Super 4 stage of the tournament.
If Sri Lanka makes it to the Super 4, they will look to make the most of their home advantage. Winning this competition will give them a lot of confidence ahead of the World Cup in October and November.