Shanaka believes that playing in India will assist Sri Lanka prepare for the ODI World Cup because “conditions matter”

3 years AGO
Virat
Virat Verma Cricket expert
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Sri Lanka will wish to become familiar with the situation. This year, the 50-over World Cup will take place.

Following a T20 World Cup in which they only managed to win two games in the first round, Dasun Shanaka wants his squad to “step up” against India. 

With three T20Is and as many ODIs on this trip, with India serving as the host nation for the ODI World Cup later this year, becoming accustomed to the conditions and performing well will be extremely beneficial for them.

“We didn’t have a good World Cup so we need to step up,”

Shanaka said in Mumbai before the opening T20I.

“We are looking forward to doing well in this series.

“India is one of the better sides. What we need to do is to play good cricket. In the World Cup year, it is very much important, this T20 and ODI series, because most of the guys haven’t played in India. It’s the first chance for many of the youngsters to play in the international side so [it’s a chance to learn] about situations on the ground. So this series will be very much important.”

After winning the T20 Asia Cup a month earlier, Sri Lanka had increased expectations going into the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. However, they only defeated Afghanistan and Ireland in the playoffs after defeating the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates but falling to Namibia in the preliminary round.

Yet, that occurred in Australia. Shanaka made the observation that they would benefit from Sri Lanka’s greater familiarity with the circumstances in India.

“I think the conditions matter, the Asia pitches and Australia conditions are very different,”

he said.

“Many of the superstars did not perform in Australian conditions. But when it comes to Asia, we know the conditions really well. It’s important how everyone starts and controls the game.”

After competing in the Lanka Premier League, which finished in December with Jaffna Kings winning their third consecutive championship, Shanaka was sure that his team would be in good shape. Some of the players on India’s current T20I team performed admirably in that competition, including in the championship game.

Avishka Fernando, the Kings’ opening batswoman, led the tournament in scoring with a total of 339 runs, an average of 37.66, and a strike rate of 125. She scored 50 runs off of 43 in the final. 

Sadeera Samarawickrama, a middle-order player for Kings, pounded 44 off 27 in the championship game and finished second in runs scored with 294 from nine innings, averaging nearly 59 and striking out 131 times altogether.

While Chamika Karunaratne, who had recently been dropped for the Afghanistan ODIs, regained his rhythm in the LPL with seven wickets and a batting strike rate of nearly 163 for his 109 runs, Galle Gladiators’ Nuwanidu Fernando, who scored 211 runs with a strike rate of 131, will only play in the ODIs.

The bowlers that stood out were Kasun Rajitha of the Gladiators, who took 13 wickets with an astounding economy rate of 6.30, and Gladiators’ Nuwan Thushara, who claimed 14 wickets at a rate of 7.44.

“LPL is a good platform for the youngsters because they get international exposure, but still it’s not in the standard of the IPL or Big Bash,”

“LPL is like a platform for the international level. Playing at international level is very much different. A few youngsters are with us, those who did well in the LPL so they’re looking forward to get some experience from this tour.”