World T20: Unsettled Lanka look to get act together against Afghanistan

Archiman Bhaduri / TNN / Updated: Mar 17, 2016, 10:13 IST

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It's not often that defending champions enter a tournament as underdogs. Given their woeful form of late, the Sri Lankans have a job on their hands as they look to shake off that tag in the ICC WT20 tournament.

World T20: Unsettled Lanka look to get act together against Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Shapoor Zadran and batting coach Inzamam-ul-Haq during nets on Wednesday. (TOI Photo)

KOLKATA: It's not often that defending champions enter a tournament as underdogs. Given their woeful form of late, the Sri Lankans have a job on their hands as they look to shake off that tag in the ICC WT20 tournament. Runners-up in 2009 and 2012, Sri Lanka have won just four of their 14 matches since they beat India in the final to win the 2014 edition in Mirpur, Bangladesh.

On Sri Lanka Being The Underdogs: Coming as underdogs releases the pressure. We didn't do well in Asia Cup. But we are getting better day by day. I'm confident of my team's progress. I still believe we need one game to get our momentum back. On Filling The Void Left By Lanka's Veterans: It's quite hard to fill those gaps. They served us for so many years. Cricket will live forever and no one is permanent in the team. Now it's up to all of us to take on the responsibility.

Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka skipper

The worry part is that Sri Lanka have failed to arrest the slide. In the run-up to this mega event, they have suffered series defeats in New Zealand and India and cut a sorry figure in the Asia Cup. There has been no change in their fortunes in the warm-up games too, losing to New Zealand and Pakistan.
Sri Lanka will, no doubt, look to shed some of that baggage by launching their WT20 campaign on a positive note with a win over minnows Afghanistan here on Thursday. To do that, Sri Lanka must first sort out their playing XI. The team management is still sweating over Lasith Malinga's fitness. The star pacer, who has been nursing a knee injury since December, returned to lead the side in the Asia Cup, but broke down after a match-winning display against the UAE.

On The Craze For Cricket In Afghanistan: Back home they are very excited. They are following us very closely. It is the No. 1 game in the country. We appreciate and thank the BCCI for providing us with a home ground in Greater Noida, they have not only helped us have better infrastructure but they have proved the friendship.

Asghar Stanikzai, Afghanistan Skipper

Malinga, who has 38 wickets in 31 WT20 matches, was seen bowling off a short run-up at the nets on Wednesday, but remains a doubtful starter for Thursday's match. "He will bowl with full run-up at the nets tomorrow. We will take a call on him after that," skipper Angelo Mathews said. In case Malinga misses out, the onus will be on veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath to lead the Sri Lankan attack on spin-friendly Indian conditions.

Afghanistan, the only ICC Associate Member in the Super 10s, will be no pushovers, though. Incidentally, this is Afghanistan's fourth straight appearance at the WT20, but they are yet to register a win over any Full Member in ICC flagship events.
Having qualified the hard way, Afghanistan will certainly fancy their chances against an unsettled Sri Lankan team. The closest Afghanistan came to upsetting Sri Lanka was in the 2015 World Cup (50 overs). They had the match under control before Mahela Jayawardene bailed Lanka out.