Batters/Fielders: Dimuth Karunaratne, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis
Bowlers: Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
All Rounders: Angelo Matthews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perara, Isuru Udana, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Don’t Sleep On
–Kusal Mendis: I expect a huge tournament for Mendis, who’s done nothing but quickly scale the Sri Lankan cricket ranks. With an ODI average of 28, there’s plenty of room for growth for the 24-year-old. He’s capable of high scores, as shown by his 102 against Bangladesh in 2017.
–Thisara Perara: A team with multiple all-rounders are sure to lean heavily on the experienced Perara. With a high bowling mark of 6/44, Perara is capable of taking wickets. How well he can control the run letting is something to watch.
–Avishka Fernando: Another young gun to look out for. While Kusal Mendis is the crown jewel of the future, Fernando made a huge splash making the roster as 21 years old and his 72 against Scotland shows great potential.
Needed to Make a Run
– Lasith Malinga: The old gun in his final run on the biggest stage. Malinga had a solid IPL with key wickets in an exciting final over in the championship match.
–Dimuth Karunaratne: Taking over as a new captain immediately before the biggest tournament in your sport can’t be an easy thing. How can Karunaratne hold up to that pressure?
Key to the Cup
– Angelo Matthews: The former captain. Averaging 42 runs at a strike rate of 80.73 makes Matthews one of Sri Lanka’s most explosive batters. If they’re going to make a surprise run deep into this tournament, his runs are greatly needed.
Why Should I Watch?
Sri Lanka is a proud cricket nation playing with little expectation. That’s a scary combination! This team mixes experience with youth, providing some wild card potential.
How Fun is This Team? (5/10)
Their form heading into the tournament leaves a great amount to be desired. They aren’t very flashy, aside from Malinga and his bowling theatrics.
Best Case:
A winning record in group play. I don’t see this team making much of a push towards the semi-finals. Finishing with a .500 record, or close to it, will be a successful tournament.
Worst Case:
Zero wins. Which, unfortunately, isn’t too far out of the question. Sri Lanka is the underdog in every match expect possibly Afghanistan. Not that matches are played on paper, but that doesn’t bode well for them.
The American Slogger 