World T20 Preview: The Also-Rans (Sri Lanka & Pakistan)

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

30 comments

  • I’ve gone from reckoning SL will get to the SFs to thinking they won’t win a game in about a week! I thought they’d do well based on their bowling, Asian conditions and a strong track-record in recent ICC tournaments.

    However Malinga’s fitness is a major concern and Herath is about to turn 38. Their batting looks very dependent on Chandimal who can be brilliant but can also have headless chicken moments (and dodgy fitness). Their young batsman Siriwardana looked very promising on the NZ tour without making a major score.

    I fancy Bangladesh to beat NZ and Pakistan (they’ve beaten the latter in the last five consecutive one-dayers). I’d have given them a decent shot against Australia – but the match is at a venue that usually doesn’t spin and with small boundaries so Australia may out-muscle them.

    Judging by the pre-qualifying round, the early pitches didn’t help the spinners much but by the later games, as some pitches were reused, spin came into it much more. Some seamers were effective (like Taskin of Bangladesh or Van Meekeren of the Netherlands) and they weren’t mere cannon fodder (although the damp weather played a part in that).

  • Two things the Pakistan bowlers have in their favour: left arm (usually a benefit in limited overs cricket, it seems), and real pace. Irfan, Amir and Riaz will test any batting line up (I’m looking forward to watching them at Old Trafford this summer). There are also several things against them (including their own batting). Sri Lanka, as you say, look in bad shape, particularly if Malinga (who is, I think, past his best) can’t play. Bangladesh (who are at last showing real signs of improvement, particularly in Asia and in shorter form cricket) look a better bet.

    • Pakistan’s batting and fielding have been badly left behind by the T20 franchise revolution. Their players haven’t been able to play in the IPL since the very early days and not many of their players get into the NWB or BBL. With the forming of the PSL, I think they’ll catch up – but this is a tournament too soon.

      Weirdly, their spin department looks weak as well. Yasir Shah is of course banned and he hadn’t done that well in one-dayers anyway.

      I’ll watch their games though – they aren’t usually dull!

    • It’s ok, just worry if some no balls, free hits, half trackers, half volleys or wides are bowled.. Easy to fix 2020 games potentially if you wanted.

      Not saying anyone is……

  • My long time support for New Zealand has dramatically been thrown into question after the application for citizenship I put forward was dismissed out of hand. Apparently support for their cricket team, although welcome, is not enough to be invited over there to live. I know! It’s bureaucracy gone mad. Sri Lanka may now be my team. Colombo was a great inspiration to me getting over some health issues.
    “Just one more thing…” Love him forever!
    Ahh!
    Please ignore that last bit.

  • If Mohammad Amir ends up taking loads of wickets and has a big impact on this tournament, I think a few eyebrows will be raised. Might not be the most popular man in India!

  • Think he might me vying with a couple of New Zealanders for the least popular title, James. Just seen the score and regretting my far too hasty hand washing ceremony of the Kiwis.

    • Summary of TFT content over the last week: India are brilliant and I have no idea why everyone always bigs up New Zealand. Spot on as usual.

      So it’s going to be a Sri Lanka versus Pakistan final then, obviously.

      • Its the nature of T20s, the margins between teams are relatively fine, so that anyone can beat anyone in a single game.

        Williamson’s captaincy has been brilliant – the choice of bowler for each over has been perfect. I wonder what he is going to do for the last 3?

  • What a fantastic game – a perfect example of how no two T20 games are ever alike.

    Anyone who dismisses T20 as “a batsman’s game” clearly hasn’t been watching very closely. The pitch dictates the nature of the game just as much as the format.

    • New Zealand went in trying to smash everything as though they clearly believe it is a batsman’s game no matter the surface. Most pundits were thinking that if they’d have batted normally and posted 140 they’d have half a chance. What followed surprised everyone.

      • Although I’m not saying they played well, you could argue that their aggressive approach paid dividends in the end. Perhaps if they had gone out poking and prodding they would have got rolled over for under 100 like India did.

        When the bowlers are on top like that, every boundary is effectively worth double.

    • Clearly although a lover of biffing and slap and tickle cricket you don’t watch t20’s.. It’s a batsmen game 99.99999999% of the time and when it’s not they are shown up for lack of technique/application

      Modern game, hence why even if stats show someone scoring better than a past great,mthe yo never be innthensame league

      • You don’t seem to really know that much about cricket, have you ever even played the sport?

        T20 is a fantastic game for attacking bowlers. A couple of big overs where you really find a rhythm and get the ball talking and the batsmen can’t lay a bat on you, and you’ve basically won the game for your team.

        Batsmen have it tough. Can you imagine the pressure of facing a tricky bowler that you are struggling to get away, and knowing that if you don’t score at well over a run a ball, you are letting your team down and every dot ball is another step towards losing?

        I must have played 500 T20 games over the years. TRUST ME, its far less stressful being a bowler. All the pressure is on the batsman. All of my favourite memories are as a bowler defending a small total.

  • If all the games were played on wickets like this, this could be the most exciting world cup of all time.

    • I’ve nothing against T20 on bowler-friendly pitches but conditions can’t change so much during the match.

      The amount of turn Sodhi was getting at the end was ridiculous. It turned a little earlier on but nowhere near that amount (as Ashwin’s figures testify).

      • I doubt the pitch would deteriorate considerably over just 40 overs. More likely that Ashwin was bowling with a completely new ball, whereas Sodhi’s was 18 overs old?

        Ashwin has never been a big turner of the ball anyway.

    • Interesting article. Not sure I totally agree though. Although Australia set the tone for increases run rates, they did so because they were bloody good. Not all teams are as good as they were or dared to try and emulate them. What’s more, Australia aren’t responsible for the introduction of switch hits, ramps etc that we now see in all forms of the game (including tests). However, I accept that T20 might not have influenced tests quite as much as commonly thought. Pitches, the kookaburra ball, the disappearance of the great attacks (both paceman and spinners) etc must all play a role too.

      • Didn’t Australia invent the ramp? Gilchrist at Edgbaston in 2001 is the first time I can remember seeing it.

        • I really can’t remember. I once saw Steve Rhodes reverse sweep Malcolm Marshall at New Road though!

    • Nice to see someone writing an article but personally I don’t agree. That great Aussie side were freaks, they were ‘proper’ batsmen who were just so good they could score at a rate. Modern ones are good,enough to score at a rate but can’t handle anything not played with a flat track or a swinging/seaming ball.

      Techniques are down due to,white ball cricket as you don’t need as good a technique for short formats but as James says, it’s also due to pitches, lesser bowling attacks too. No one thing is to blame but white ball cricket is a factor.

  • Pakistan beating Bangladesh comfortably after a superb batting display. Just as I predicted above ;-)

  • Great article and now I totally agreed that Pakistan and Bangladesh the best match and interesting .there is great traffic in that match. some of the sites that usually use this comment like narayantips

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