Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup Preparations: Awaiting Star Pacer’s Recovery and Contemplating Spin Options

Sri Lanka’s cricket team is optimistic about the fitness of their key fast bowler, Matheesha Pathirana, for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The team is also considering the number of spinners to include in their playing eleven.

Pathirana sustained a hamstring injury while playing for the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League. He was sent back to Sri Lanka for recovery, ahead of the T20 World Cup commencing on June 1.

The right-arm fast bowler is one of four pacers in Sri Lanka’s 15-player squad for the T20 World Cup. He is expected to play a pivotal role in their pursuit of a second title, following their victory in Bangladesh in 2014.

A hard goodbye with my only wish to see the 2024 IPL champion trophy in CSK’s room soon! Grateful to the CSK team for all the blessings and love from Chennai. – MP 81

Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka’s chief selector, anticipates Pathirana to be fit for their first game at the T20 World Cup against South Africa in New York on June 3. He believes his team’s pace attack is potent enough to unsettle opposition teams.

“We have players to bowl at the death, but it’s in the Powerplay that we need to focus on picking up wickets. So for that we have Madushanka and then as travelling reserve we have Asitha (Fernando),” Tharanga said.

“If we take our side, Thushara, Pathirana they can bowl in the death overs. But we needed someone that could come in if we needed a wicket-taking option with the new ball, which is why we went with Asitha (as a reserve over Binura Fernando).”

Sri Lanka also boasts a plethora of spinning options for the T20 World Cup, with Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, and Dunith Wellalage all capable of providing an extra option alongside skipper Wanindu Hasaranga and star off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

Tharanga is still deliberating on the right balance for his team for the T20 World Cup, but considers playing three spinners in the same XI a viable option.

“There could be a chance that we play three spinners sometimes. Looking at that is why we picked Dunith (Wellalage), particularly his batting, because sometimes we could go with him ahead of a fast-bowling all-rounder,” Tharanga said.

“As for Dhananjaya, we value his bowling. And with regard to power-hitting, we think we can get that from elsewhere in the side. In terms of his all-round input, and taking into consideration the conditions, he was a better option.”

With the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, Tharanga believes teams will encounter a variety of pitches across the nine different venues and will need to adapt quickly during the tournament.

The former Sri Lanka captain expects the pitches in the USA to be relatively slow and conducive to spin.

“If you look at the conditions in America and the West Indies, most of it is pointing towards the wickets there being quite slow,” Tharanga said.

“The Major League tournament was played in Dallas with drop-in pitches. If you look at those, even though they’re being brought down from Australia they are still quite uneven and a little slow. This could of course change, so it’s a little hard to predict.”

Sri Lanka squad:

Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.

Travelling Reserves:

Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage.