One team that played from their hearts and performed out of their skins, was team Sri Lanka. At the beginning of the Asia Cup 2023, there was hardly anyone talking about Sri Lanka playing in the finals but the team proved everyone wrong. The defending champions, apart from the finals, gave their one hundred percent in every game they played. Especially in the virtual Semi-Final game, all the fans as well as cricket experts were astonished to see such great commitment and match awareness from the young Sri Lankan team.
It is not to be forgotten that the Sri Lankan team entered the tournament without some of their key players playing. The likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, and Dilshan Madushanka are likely to represent their first XI. But the team never bogged down by any challenge that was presented to them. Let us look top 3 positives for Sri Lanka ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023:
1. Dunith Wellalage’s all-round ability
Dunith Wellalage has been one of the major finds for the Sri Lankan team from the Asia Cup 2023. The young all-rounder had impressed one and all with his high-class bowling as well as some brilliant resilience with the bat. In the six matches that the 20-year-old played, he was able to pick up 10 wickets which is the second- highest wickets of the tournament.
Also, in the game against India in Super 4s, Dunith remained unbeaten on 42 runs and was able to pick up five Indian wickets. So, going ahead in the upcoming World Cup, Wellalage will be a player to watch out for.
2. Matheesha Pathirana’s lethal bowling in the death overs
Matheesha Pathirana was another youngster who rose to the occasion in the absence of some of the premier fast bowlers. Pathirana was lethal at the death overs and was not only economical but also successful in picking important wickets. It was due to his wickets that the Sri Lankan team was able to take wickets in the middle overs.
In the six Asia Cup matches that the 20-year-old played, he was able to register 11 wickets, which was also the highest in the tournament. The Sri Lankan pacer also took wickets at an average of 24.55.
3. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s maturity with bat
Probably, one of the best chases that we have come across in recent times was an architect by the partnership of Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama against Pakistan. The duo stitched a partnership of 100 runs with some impressive shot selection and running brilliantly in the middle.
In the Asia Cup 2023 Mendis played six matches and scored 270 runs with two brilliant 90+ scores whereas in the case of Samarawickrama who also played six matches along with 215 runs to his name.