Sri Lanka’s takeaways from the T20 series

Sri Lanka has gone through eight T20Is in the last month and didn’t have results going their way on all but one occasion. Injury and Covid has impacted the side but there are aspects to look at and some positives as well in the recent stretch of games.

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The Top Order is settled

Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis are a part of the top-three and have given a strong showing in recent games. The three look solid, and a good line-up could be made around them as it seems tough to see anyone else in the top-three. Asalanka in particular is doing a good job and was a star for Sri Lanka in the previous T20 World Cup.

Lahiru Kumara’s Pace Works in T20 Cricket

Through the T20s, Lahiru Kumara looked very scary at the early stages of the innings. He has a mean bouncer and his short-ball to Ishan Kishan is an example of how he can distract a bouncer and put pressure. He is still not to strong in the death but if used properly, Kumara can be a wonderful wicket-taker in the early parts of the game. He has a partner in Dushmantha Chameera, who bowls just as fast, if not faster, and the two bowlers could make a massive difference in Australia if they get into a rhythm.

Dinesh Chandimal’s Time is Running out

Dinesh Chandimal is probably the most experienced players in the squad and is one of the few players to have played with the star line-up including the likes of Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Dilshan. He has been around for a long time but is not able to translate his form in other formats to T20 Cricket. He has a strike-rate of 104 in the format and struggled through the series to make an impact. With the likes of Dickwella in the hut, Chandimal will have to find a way to change his approach soon.

Dasun Shanaka Emerges as a Finisher

For a long time Shanaka has been seen as a talent who gives a glimpse of what he can do. In the previous T20I series though, Shanaka carried the team and gave hope to Sri Lanka that they can build a team around him as a finisher, with Hasaranga and the top-order doing their bit. He took apart some quality bowlers in the last two T20Is, an his big-hitting may just be what Sri Lanka need in the T20 World Cup.

The Fielding has a long way to go

If there is one aspect that saw Sri Lanka lose out badly it would be fielding. They were competitive at various parts this series but the fielding along costed them nearly 15-20 runs an innings. There were a lot of misfields and dropped catches which helped India bat with more freedom, rotate strike and keep the scoreboard ticking. Sri Lanka’s fielding coach will have to work on both the ground fielding and catching as these are aspects which can play a vital role in changing the course of a game.