Sri Lanka were licking their wounds after being bundled out of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi this week. For all the sweat and toil put in before the series, the islanders flattered to deceive – starting with a bang, winning all three league games, only to go bust when it mattered most in the Super Four stage.

The disappointment of missing out on a place in the final hurts. A few brain fades cost them dear. You don’t often come up against such a toothless Pakistan outfit and the Sri Lankans will be kicking themselves for not crossing the line. Against Bangladesh, they were pipped at the post, losing off the penultimate ball when just a few extra runs would have sealed the deal. Losing the toss on both occasions and being asked to bat first hardly helped their cause.

With the World Cup looming in just five months, Sri Lanka need to put their house in order and top of the agenda is nailing down the right combination. A genuine all-rounder is a priceless commodity – India have Hardik Pandya, Australia turn to Mitchell Marsh, Afghanistan rely on Mohammad Nabi. Sri Lanka, alas, keep flogging a dead horse, fielding make-shift all-rounders who are neither here nor there. Sometimes, they even pack in two players who bat a bit and bowl a bit, a habit that needs weeding out.

The same formula backfired in the run-up to the 2023 World Cup, but lessons clearly have not been learnt.

The approach of Kusal Janith Perera, the senior pro in the side, has been another let-down. Time and again, he has thrown his hand away with the finishing line in sight or when the team desperately needed a cool head.

Power hitting remains a gaping hole. The selectors are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, they cannot afford to drop KJP, still the fiercest ball-striker in the ranks, but equally cannot rely on him to pull off miracles single-handedly. Too much rests on the shoulders of openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka. When they fall early, the rest of the batting has been left scratching around.

The handling of Matheesha Pathirana has been another own goal. A match-winner on his day, the slinger was drafted into the squad but given just one outing, hardly the way to build confidence. Equally baffling was the case of Binura Fernando, who was flown in with much fanfare for his left-arm variety, only to return home without sending down a single delivery. If fielding was the concern, why call him up in the first place?

All told, Sri Lanka’s thinking was muddled throughout the campaign.

Yes, questions remain about the strike-rates of several batters, a crucial currency in the frenetic world of T20. That cannot be fixed overnight, but patience is key. Hiring power-hitting coach Julian Wood was a step in the right direction; more such exposure can only help.

The top order have held their own in the Powerplays, but the middle overs, once spin comes on, have proved to be a minefield. Dot balls piled up like a bad debt, leaving the side hamstrung. Unless Sri Lanka learn to rotate strike and cash in against spin, they will continue to be also-rans.

Rex Clementine ✍️
in Dubai