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Underrated And Unbothered, Dark Horse Sri Lanka Could Ambush Asia Cup 2025

Jatin

Sri Lankan team [Source: @ICC/x.com]Sri Lankan team [Source: @ICC/x.com]

Every time talk of the Asia Cup pops up, the noise gets deafening around India, Pakistan and lately Afghanistan. They get the headlines, the hype and all the heat.

But quietly lurking in the shadows are Sri Lanka, a team that has lifted this trophy six times already, just two shy of India and still somehow slips under the radar. It’s almost criminal how underrated they are going into the Asia Cup 2025.

While everyone else is busy blowing their trumpets, the Lankans are calmly tuning their instruments, ready to put on a show when the stage lights up.

A Balanced Squad With Firepower

Led by Charith Asalanka, this Sri Lankan squad has that perfect combination of experienced hands and fearless young blood. At the top, they have got batters like Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera who don’t just swing wildly but know how to build an innings, rotate strike and turn the screws when needed.

Nissanka’s solid head, Mendis’ attacking approach and Perera’s ability to go full throttle from the get-go make this top order a proper handful. If these three get going, they can leave opposition bowlers chasing leather under the desert lights.

Middle Order That Packs A Punch

Then there is that middle order, the engine room that often gets overlooked but can be devastating when it clicks. Asalanka himself is the calm in the storm while Dasun Shanaka and Kamindu Mendis bring the muscle to finish off innings with a flourish.

All three have been around the block, have strike rates hovering over 122 and averages that show they can hold their own when the heat is on. And just when teams think they have broken through, up walks Wanindu Hasaranga with that cheeky grin and a bat that can turn games upside down in a handful of balls.

Spin Army Built For UAE

But the real trump card is their spin brigade. In the slow, low-bounce tracks of the United Arab Emirates, spinners are worth their weight in gold and Sri Lanka are stacked.

Hasaranga can spin webs around the best batters, Maheesh Theekshana bowls like he is bowling with a string tied to the ball and Dunith Wellalage brings that left-arm angle that makes even settled batters second-guess their footwork.

Toss in Matheesha Pathirana’s slingy pace to jolt teams out of rhythm and you have got a bowling attack that can suffocate sides into submission.

The Dark Horses Ready To Pounce

What makes them even more dangerous is how well they know these conditions. The pitches in the UAE aren’t strangers to them as they are cousins of the ones back home. The Lankan batters are used to reading spin like open books while their bowlers know exactly when to twist the knife. They may not roar as loudly as India or strut like Pakistan but when they get on a roll, they are like a tidal wave: silent at first, then unstoppable.

If there is one team capable of blindsiding the tournament, it’s Sri Lanka. They don’t crave the limelight and maybe that is their biggest weapon. While the world keeps talking about the favourites, the island boys are quietly sharpening their claws.

Six titles already prove they know how to cross the finish line. This time, they might just steal the show and if they do, don’t say you didn’t see it coming!