Can Sri Lanka repeat 96 world Cup Victory? By Elmo RODRIGOPULLE Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga after receiving the trophy from then Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Every Sri Lankan here and abroad would be wishing and praying for our cricketers to triumph in the 2011 World Cup in the subcontinent which begins on February 19, and emulate the feat that we achieved in 1996 when we inscribed our names on that piece of silverware. 'Captain Cool' Arjuna Ranatunga hitting the winning run to stuff the high riding Australians on that balmy night in Lahore and win the final and later holding the Cup aloft for all the world to see are still vivid in my memory. The Daily News the next morning paid tribute to that amazing victory and in using the match analysis of this writer as the lead story on page one headlined it 'Sri Lanka Conquers Cricket's Mount Everest'. Immense joy Will that moment that brought immense joy and pride to every Sri Lankan and the Paradise Isle be enacted again? That will be the million dollar question on every Sri Lankan's lips when the present team takes the field on February 20 against Canada at the picturesque President Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota. A close study of the squad picked shows that they are winners. But then it must always be remembered that cricket is a funny game. One day it can bring immense joy and the next day heartaches by the number. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara's squad looks formidable on paper. Will they be able to withstand the pressure that a tournament of this magnitude brings, play true to form and expectations remains to be seen. Lacks experience What this team lacks is experience. There is no substitute for experience in a format like the World Cup. It is going to a theatre of war. Sri Lanka's opponents will front up their cricketing bazookas and stingers in their search for victory and the World Cup. In a situation like this, veterans who have been victors in cricketing wars with their clever handling of the situation would have been of great advantage. But they are missing and their absence will be greatly felt when the tournament gathers momentum. In this 'cowboy game', clever leadership is essential. Sangakkara must lead from the front and by example. He has the tendency to stay behind the wickets and direct operations. That should not be the style. Being the wicketkeeper, he has the advantage of watching and studying how the wicket is behaving. Is it pace and seam friendly, is it fond of spin, is it a lively or flat wicket? Having this advantage, Sangakkara will be well advised instead of directing operations from behind the wicket to keep talking to his bowlers and telling them how they should play. Sangakkara is fortunate to have the smart-thinking Mahela Jayawardena as his deputy. Blessed with a shrewd cricketing brain, he is a captain's dream in every aspect of the game. Sangakkara will do well to consult him in tight situations. Sri Lanka will have a house full of spectators cheering for them every time they take the field. For the spectators, victory and nothing else but victory at any cost will be the yearning. The onus will be on the cricketers. Wicket preparation In the games to be played at home, Sri Lanka will have the advantage in the preparation of the wickets. All countries prepare wickets to suit their bowlers. It should be no different here. Not to make use of the home advantage would be foolish. In batting the responsibilities will be on Tillekeratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga to give their team a solid foundation for batsmen of the class of Sangakkara, Jayawardena, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, if either one of them play and Angelo Mathews to build a match-winning score. The bowling will be in the safe and devastating hands of Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dilhara Fernando and Angelo Mathews, with spin to come from the champion Muttiah Muralitharan and mystery man Ajantha Mendis. Wicket to wicket bowling is the demand in one-day cricket. Top class fielding But for these bowlers to deliver, it is paramount that the fielding in the air and on the ground be sure, safe and world class. Fielding is the all important factor on this style of cricket. A dropped catch, failing to capitalise on a run-out chance can prove costly and decide between a win or a loss. Every half chance must be grabbed. There will be no room for second chances. A dropped catch or a fielding lapse may not necessarily mean losing a match, but it can make winning that much more difficult. One hopes that the Lankan coaching management would have stressed on the importance of fielding. Sometime back, when former Australian cricketer Trevor Chappell was in charge of fielding the Lankans were world class and were a treat to watch. Also it is important that Skipper Kumar Sangakkara wins the all important toss. If he keeps winning, and that is what he will want to achieve every time he spins the coin, he can dictate terms. All said and done, what finally will be the decider is LUCK. Former Australian captain and leg-spinning all rounder the great Richie Benaud says that a captain must have 90 percent luck and 10 percent skill. How true!