Sri Lanka go in as underdog

by Ranjan Anandappa

Sri Lanka will have a gigantic task in defending dual titles of the Asia Cup first and thereafter the World T20 in Bangladesh and India respectively.

The World T20 title holders and the defending Asia Cup champions will however not be going in as favourites while playing in the two tournaments.

“We do go in more as underdogs. We have a lot of new players and cricket is a funny game. With an energetic performance, right attitude and commitment anything could happen .We got two or three top heads in terms of Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga to prop up the youngsters and Dilshan as well that could create a little recipe for success. At the same time for me as much as we like to win the tournaments, it is a start of the process of what we want to put in place for the future of Sri Lanka cricket. It is important that Sri Lanka get to a state where they can stay on top. There are lots of things to happen within the next few months“ said coach Graham Ford.

For the first time in the 32 year old Asia Cup cricket history, the 13th edition of the tournament will be played in the T20 format when it begins on February 24 to March 6 in Mirpur, Bangladesh.

With the end of the Asia Cup on March 6 the beginning of the T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place on March 8.

The Asian Cricket Council had decided to conduct the Asia Cup also in the T20 format to facilitate the players in the Asian region to be better equipped for the World T20 to be staged in India.

The first Asia Cup tournament was held in 1984 in Sharjah, UAE where the newly formed Asian Cricket Council was located. In the first match Sri Lanka met Pakistan in a 50-over game of a tournament played on a Round-Robin basis with India as the third team.

India eventually won the championship .

Bangladesh will be hosting the event for the fifth time and for the second consecutive year. Previously they hosted the tournament in the years 1988, 2000, 2012, 2014 and once again in 2016 in Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka first hosted the tournament in 1986 and won by beating Pakistan. India did not take part in that tournament.

When it was held in Sri Lanka in 1997 the host won but lost to India when it was held in the island in 2000.

Sri Lanka are the defending champions winning the Asia Cup for the record fifth time. This year with the format changed to T20 India seems firm favourites.

However, Bangladesh playing in their own backyard and Pakistan also with a cast of attacking players and Sri Lanka at full strength cannot be fully written off.

All matches will be played under lights at Sher-e- Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur.

Match schedule:

February 24 - India vs Bangladesh
Feb. 25 Sri Lanka vs TBC
Feb. 27 Bangladesh vs TBC
Feb 28 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Feb 29 Pakistan vs TBC

March 1 India vs Sri Lanka

March 2 Pakistan vs Bangladesh
March 3 India vs TBC
March 4 Pakistan vs Sri Lanka

March 6: Final

Past winners of the Asia Cup:

1984- played in Sharjah, India won
1986- in Sri Lanka (SSC) Sri Lanka won
1988- in Bangladesh India won
1990/91 in India - won by India
1993- Pakistan – not held
1995- in Sharjah – won by India

1997- in Sri Lanka- won by Sri Lanka
2000- Bangladesh- won by Pakistan
2004- in Sri Lanka- won by Sri Lanka
2008- in Pakistan- won by Sri Lanka
2010- in Sri Lanka -won by India
2012- in Bangladesh - won by Pakistan
2014- in Bangladesh- won by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s 15 man squad for the Asia Cup and the World T20:

Lasith Malinga (Captain), Angelo Mathews (V.Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, T.M..Dilshan, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardene, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Sachitra Senanayake, Rangana Herath and Jeffrey Vandersay.