Sri Lanka Leave Behind 'Heroes' For Asia Cup

Chairman of cricket selectors Aravinda de Silva

When Sri Lanka team arrive at Dambulla for the four-nation Asia Cup cricket tournament which starts on Tuesday, June 15, two regular players would have missed the bus—Sanath Jayasuriya and Ajantha Mendis.

They have been left out for different reasons, said chairman of selectors Aravinda de Silva. But when Sri Lanka won the last Asia Cup in Karachi in July 2008 beating India by 100 runs Jayasuriya and Mendis were the heroes.

The veteran opener scored 125 runs and the ‘mystery’ spinner returned amazing figures of six for 13 runs, which won him the double titles of man of the match and man of the series.

Moreover Jayasuriya with 1220 runs and six centuries is easily the most successful batsman in Asia Cup.

However de Silva’s committee has overlooked the 444 ODIs veteran batsman who will turn 41 on June 30, considering his poor form and performances in the past year.

With 277 runs in 12 matches at 23.08 Jayasuriya cut a sorry figure in the past year. His aggregate of 15 runs in six matches at the recent Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies was easily the final straw.

Former batting great de Silva said Mendis was left out for tactical reasons after a good run in Zimbabwe. Although he was a revelation with his carrom ball, the 25 year-old spinner, many consider has lost some of his magic. Batsmen from India and Pakistan face him quite easily. And the selectors’ tactical move is to conceal him from them ahead of the World Cup to be played in the subcontinent next year. It will be interesting to see if de Silva brings him back for the tri-nation series later in the year where India too is involved.

Medium paceman Ferveez Maharoof and left arm spinner Rangana Herath have won recalls to the side. Bowling allrounder Maharoof, 25, last played for Sri Lanka in February 2009 and since then has been sidelined for injury. The former selection committee headed by Asantha de Mel did not see any need to recall him as Angelo Mathews cemented his place in the team as the allrounder.

The 91-ODIs-and-116-wickets allrounder’s return to the side surprised many as he had not done anything exceptional in the domestic circuit in recent past. However, de Silva said his inclusion in the side was mainly due to his good showing in Dambulla in the past. Maharoof in nine matches there has taken 18 wickets with an average of 15.77, and is second only to Muttiah Muralitharan (39 wickets in 18 matches at 16.87). And the allrounder is said to be hundred percent fit.

Thirty-two-year-old Herath has just played only six ODIs and his last was in 2004, the year he won the first cap. de Silva said his recall was to add variation to the attack. And the Dambulla track would turn much towards the end of the tournament and Sri Lanka need spinners with variations and those who can bowl in power play periods. Herath in Muralitharan’s absence did wonderfully well in Tests, especially against Pakistan last year with his arm ball coming into play often. And that may have impressed the selectors. In fact de Silva talked about Pakistan having many right-handers against whom Herath would be handful. Middle order bat Thilina Kandamby too can be used as a spinner, said the chairman of selectors.      

de Silva said Sri Lanka’s top order of Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena looks solid as ever, and with some help from the middle order and good bowling backed up by equally good fielding the country can lift the Asia Cup once again.

Sri Lanka and India have won it four times each and Pakistan once.

In Dambulla Sri Lanka have 17 victories from 24 matches and in most recent fixtures they have beaten Pakistan thrice on the trot when they met in July-August last year.  

Sri Lanka Squad

Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedara, Thilan Samaraweera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welegedara, Thilina Kandamby, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath

Fixtures:

June 15 (Tuesday) - Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 14:30pm

June 16 (Wednesday) - Bangladesh vs India 14:30pm

June 18 (Friday) - Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 14:30pm

June 19 (Saturday) - India vs Pakistan 14:30pm

June 21 (Monday) - Bangladesh vs Pakistan 14:30pm

June 22 (Tuesday) - Sri Lanka vs India 14:30pm

June 24 (Thursday) – Final 14:30pm