SL begin World Cup preparations today

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka’s cricketers who are in a bio-secure bubble at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo will end their three day quarantine today and will start group training. Following the group training, there will be full squad training stimulating match situations and after ten days of practices in Colombo, the team will leave for Oman where they will play two T-20 Internationals.

Former captain Kusal Janith Perera, who sustained a hamstring injury during the South Africa series and was doubtful for the World Cup is in the bubble and The Island learns that there is a good possibility that he will recover by the time the World Cup starts.

KJP was axed as captain after just two tours and he missed the home series against India with a shoulder injury. He then tested positive for COVID and missed the ODI leg of the South Africa series and hurt his hamstring during the last T-20 International against the Proteas.

Sources said that KJP will tour with the squad to Oman but he is likely to be kept out of the games there and will be available for the qualifying round of the World Cup.

Sri Lanka’s bowling too is thin on experience for the Oman leg with SLC freeing Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, who are contracted with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Both players are expected to join the squad just before the World Cup qualifiers.

Sri Lanka are slotted alongside Namibia, Netherlands and Ireland in the qualifying round and need to win two of those games to qualify. The games against Namibia and Netherlands will be played in Abu Dhabi while the crunch game against Ireland will take place in Sharjah. While Namibia and Netherlands do not pose much of a threat, Ireland can challenge Sri Lanka given all the troubles they have had in T-20 cricket in recent years.

Sri Lanka’s form lead up to the World Cup is not ideal having been blanked 3-0 by the Proteas at home. The two match series in Oman hopefully will give them momentum ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

Apart from the squad of 15 players, the ICC allows four travelling reserves to be with the squad in case of replacements are needed in these uncertain times. Sri Lanka also are carrying five additional players at the board’s cost so that they will not be caught off guard in case of an emergency.