Asia cup 2022: Sri Lanka squad analysis
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the second most successful team in the Asia Cup. They have won the title 6 times and have finished as runners up 5 times.
Sri Lanka last won the Asia Cup in 2014 and would be eager to lay their hands on the trophy after a gap of 8 long years.
What are the chances of the Sri Lankan lions to win the Asia Cup this year?
To find an answer to this question we need to have a look at the Sri Lanka squad for this team.
Sri Lanka Squad
Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal
We can have a deeper understanding of the team if we try and take a closer look at the different aspects of it.
Strength
Good spin bowlers
The presence of bowlers like Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Jeffrey Vandersay makes Sri Lanka a great spin bowling unit. Most of the teams in this Asia Cup have opted for strong spin bowling attacks hoping that the pitches in UAE turn out to be slow. Where do the Sri Lankan spinners stand in terms of experience and performance?
Balanced Batting line up
With players like Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dinesh Chandimal the Sri Lankan batting line up looks strong and balanced.
Weakness
Absence of power hitter in the middle order
The middle order of the Sri Lankan batting line up looks strong. But there is the absence of a proper power hitter in the batting order. Most of the batters in the batting order have a strike rate between 120-130. In the shortest format of the game Sri Lanka might suffer from the lack of a proper ‘slogger’.
Absence of world class pacer
The Sri Lankan squad lacks the presence of experienced pace bowlers. On paper there is no such pacer within the squad who can contain or pick up the opposition wickets at the right time for their time.
Opportunity
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Bhanuka Rajapaksa drew a lot of attention with his explosive batting for the Punjab Kings in the latest season of the IPL. He has not yet translated his IPL form into the international arena, so the Asia Cup will be an opportunity for him to establish himself as a batter the opposition fears.
Threats
Dasun Sanaka's injury issues
Dasun Shanaka will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as the skipper of a relatively weak Sri Lankan team. The team will largely depend on his all-round abilities and will hope that he leads the team from the front in the crunch situations. But Shanka has been plagued by injury lately and his performance might be affected while he tries to give his best for his team.
Strongest XI
 "Probuddha Bhattacharjee")
