Once giants of the white-ball game, Sri Lanka were dealt a harsh reality check when they failed to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy — a bitter pill to swallow for a nation that once redefined the one-day format with audacity and flair. Their ninth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup saw them miss the cut, triggering alarm bells across the island’s cricketing corridors.

But from the rubble of that disappointment has emerged a rejuvenated side, rising phoenix-like under the stewardship of Sanath Jayasuriya. Since then, the Sri Lankans have roared back with a vengeance, toppling heavyweights India and Australia in bilateral ODI series, and clawing their way up the rankings to sit at No. 4 — behind only Australia, India, and New Zealand. Traditional powerhouses like Pakistan, England and South Africa are now trailing in their wake.

Now squaring up against Bangladesh, ranked 10th, Sri Lanka enter the three-match ODI series as overwhelming favourites. But the stakes are high. A clean sweep is a must to hold on to their fourth-place standing; even a single slip-up could see them slide down the pecking order.

What’s driven this turnaround? A hard reset — back to basics. The emphasis has shifted to fitness, fielding, and running between the wickets — the fine margins that separate good teams from great ones. Fielding drills now run like clockwork, and even the usually sluggish Avishka Fernando has turned heads with laser-sharp direct hits.

At the top of the order, Pathum Nissanka has been in imperious form. The first Sri Lankan to notch up a double hundred in ODIs, Nissanka is batting like a man possessed. Having plundered centuries in the recent Test series, he now turns his focus to the 50-over format with an eye on entering the pantheon of greats. Not since the glory days of Kumar Sangakkara has a Sri Lankan batter pushed for top-ten status across all formats — but Pathum has the hunger and the pedigree.

In the engine room of the middle order, Charith Asalanka continues to be Sri Lanka’s crisis man. A master of the rescue act, his ability to soak pressure and script successful chases has drawn comparisons with the great Arjuna Ranatunga. Asalanka too has broken into the top ten ODI batting rankings, a nod to his growing stature in world cricket.

With the ball, it’s not the quicks but the mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana who’s calling the shots. He currently holds the title of the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler — a remarkable achievement for someone who quietly goes about his business spinning webs around the opposition.

From a side teetering on the brink, Sri Lanka have found a second wind. The team that once forgot how to win is rediscovering its mojo — one match at a time. With the 2027 World Cup in South Africa on the horizon, the building blocks are falling into place. And if this upward trajectory continues, the Lions could well be sharpening their claws for another crack at global glory.

by Rex Clementine