Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Team For 2022
After a dismal performance in the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, the Sri Lankan cricket team is ready to prove everyone wrong in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup. This year, the island nation playing with an ‘underdog’ tag has a steep mountain to climb if they want to lift the prestigious trophy for the second time. Thanks to a poor standing in the ICC rankings, the Lankan Lions would again have to qualify the first round to meet the big boys in Super 12. Sri Lanka has been consistently underperforming in the ICC event since they last won a trophy in 2014. White-ball captain Dasun Shanaka hopes the Sri Lanka cricket players punch above their weight to qualify for the semi-finals.
History
Sri Lanka’s performance in T20 World Cups has been a tale of two halves. A team that dominated this format from 2007 to 2014 struggled to put up a good performance for the next seven years. After the retirement of stalwarts like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, T Dilshan, and Lasith Malinga, the team has always struggled to find the right balance in their squad.
One of the biggest reasons for Sri Lanka’s success in the tournament's early years was the number of match-winners. This has not been the case for the past few years, and the team has been heavily dependent on a few inexperienced players to perform and put up a good show. Sri Lanka would not need any outside motivation once they settle things internally with a glorious history and a record they can be proud of.
Likely Player Squad for Sri Lanka T20 World Cup
It would be interesting to see what team Sri Lanka goes with during the T20 World Cup. One of the major challenges Sri Lanka cricket team players face is coping with bouncy Australian tracks in 2022.
Since the team has not travelled to Australia often, their players lack the understanding of the different conditions they might face. The Srilanka Team for the T20 World Cup would, therefore, require batters who enjoy pace and bounce and bowlers who could use the same.
If the team is looking for young talent, the 2022 U-19 WC is an excellent opportunity to pick new talent from. The Sri Lankan U-19 Captain D Wellalage could be a perfect option for a struggling middle order that has collapsed more often than not.
Wanindu Hasaranga has been the X-factor in the previous ICC T20 World Cups, and it will be exciting to see if he can repeat his performances at the World Cup in Australia. It would also be interesting to see if the team is ready to play this bet later this year.
Here is the likely squad for the Srilanka Team for T20 World Cup this year:
- A Fernando
- B Rajapaksa
- P Nissanka
- D Wellalage
- D Shanaka (c)
- D de Silva
- C Asalanka
- W Hasaranga
- K Perera
- D Chandimal
- C Karunaratne
- D Chameera
- L Kumara
- B Fernando
- A Dananjaya
Previous Srilanka T20 World Cup Captains and Coaches
Sri Lanka has been lucky to have some great captains in the past. The current captain Shanaka has also been trying hard to bring a struggling team together. With legends like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene leading the team, it is no surprise that historically, the team has performed brilliantly in the tournament.
Add to that brilliance the excellent coaches Sri Lanka had; the team has always been well groomed for success. A Srilanka T20 World Cup Captain is a job of responsibility and honour. The nation would be proud of what the former captains have achieved.
Here is a list of Sri Lanka’s previous coaches and captains:
Performance in Past T20 World Cup
The 2021 T20 World Cup was a dismal one for Sri Lanka. They started with a blast, comfortably beating the likes of Namibia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Their biggest win was against the ‘Orange Nation’ Netherlands, where they got all ten wickets just for 44. A jubilant Sri Lanka topped their group table in the first round, but the performances started deteriorating rather quickly.
After their first Super 12s match against Bangladesh that resulted in a win, the Lankan Lions saw a series of defeats to put them out of the tournament. The Lankans lost their match against Australia by 7 wickets, against South Africa by 4 wickets, and against England by 26 runs.
However, they could finish on a high by beating West Indies by 20 runs. Sri Lanka was arguably in the tougher Super 12 group, but performances like these would not have helped them qualify.
Likely Predictions for 2022 T20 World Cup
Not many Fantasy Cricket pundits would have Sri Lanka as the favourites to be a semi-finalist, let alone win the trophy.
Nevertheless, if there is a team that can surprise the highest-ranking teams, it is Sri Lanka. The 1996 fifty-over World Cup is a great example of how this tiny island nation can produce massive upsets to win a tournament. There are a few superstars that Sri Lanka hopes for a good performance from when the tournament starts.
Players such as Perera, Hasaranga, Shanaka, and Chandimal, are experienced enough to take their team all the way. They have the skill sets to have a massive impact, and the Sri Lankan fans would hope for a trophy this winter. Their backs are against the wall, and they can only go forward.
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