It’s time to wrap up our World T20 preview with a quick look at the Sri Lankans and Pakistanis. I’ve left these teams until last because they’re possibly the weakest of the major nations. Their build up to the tournament has been chaotic, with Pakistan initially refusing to travel to India due to security concerns, while Sri Lanka have changed captains and brought two new players into their squad at the eleventh hour. It’s all a bit of a soap opera really.
Although Sri Lanka are the defending champions, they’ve lost too many quality players in recent times to repeat their 2014 success. Kumar Sangakkara is now merely a selector, while Mahela Jayawardene has been helping England. Meanwhile the fitness of the Lasith Malinga – the man with the most eccentric action, funkiest hair and deadliest yorkers in world cricket – is a huge worry.
I might take some heat for saying this, but Sri Lanka’s current team is probably their weakest for twenty years. They still have Angelo Mathews, who is one of the most admirable cricketers in the world, but the supporting cast looks ropey to say the least. Dilshan is getting on a bit (or perhaps I should say ‘a lot’) and although Dinesh Chandimal is always good to watch, the likes of Kapugedera have much to prove.
Sri Lanka’s seam bowling also looks a bit ‘meh’: Lakmal and Kulasekara are nothing more than handy so they desperately need Malinga to return. Their one saving grace, however, is their spinners. Herath is as crafty as they come and Senanayake is a rare commodity: a bowler with a remodelled action who still looks relatively effective. With conditions likely to favour the spinners, perhaps Sri Lanka aren’t a lost cause after all. They’ll have to play extremely well to confound expectations though.
Next up is Pakistan. Will it be an emotional and triumphant farewell for Shahid Afridi as he contemplates what must be his eight or ninth retirement? My gut says ‘not on your nelly’, but I’ve been wrong before (as regular readers of TFT know only too well).
Now before I stick the knife in, I admit that Pakistan might not be as bad as I’m about to make out. My opinion of them as a limited overs outfit was largely formed on England’s recent tour to the UAE, where they were showed no urgency with the bat, little consistency with the bowl, and looked about as dynamic as molasses in the field.
The recent security chaos must have affected them too. India’s organisation of this tournament has left much to be desired, with ticketing problems and the failure to arrange an opening ceremony utterly bizarre. Indeed, some articles are beginning to question India’s ability to host high profile sporting events as a result. I certainly feel Pakistan’s pain on this one.
Having said that, Pakistan do have a decent attack and some exciting players: Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal and Wahab Riaz immediately spring to mind. They also have a rather tasty but little known left-arm paceman called Mohammad Amir. Where’s he been all these years? Keeping his nose clean one imagines. Ahem.
Overall though, I’d be surprised if Pakistan progress far in this tournament. Their form is patchy – they’ve beaten Sri Lanka a couple of times this month but also lost to Bangladesh – and they don’t seem as modern and meticulous in their preparation as teams like Australia and South Africa. Neither have they improved their fielding as dramatically as India.
It gives me no pleasure to say this, but some observers actually fancy Bangladesh to go further than Sri Lanka and Pakistan in this year’s tournament. I can see why. While the Bangladeshis played well in the Asia Cup, and look an improving side in T20 cricket, their more established counterparts look about as convincing as Donald Trump’s ‘haircut’.
James Morgan
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