Finally a convincing performance and a win for the Lankan Lions. But it all came too little too late. With their main challengers in Group D Bangladesh having brushed off Nepal just hours earlier, effectively sealing their fate in the tournament. But a win is a win. And this is something for the Lankans to take away from.
But is it though? Sri Lanka’s abysmal record in ICC tournaments, which has received some attention over the years has only gotten worse with another Round 1 exit. This time around it was bested by Bangladesh and South Africa, the two main challengers when it came to qualification. There is a lot to think about for the Sri Lankans. But the problems that plague the team are all too familiar. But a win is a win.
For Sri Lanka, a Win is a Win
https://gty.im/2157900194
For starters, the Sri Lankan cricket team and fans back home ought to take heart from the fact that the team had managed a convincing win against the Netherlands. The Dutch who had beaten Nepal quite convincingly and gave the South Africans a solid scare threatened to upset the already demoralized Sri Lankan side.
Having learned their fate just hours before it would have been tempting for the Lions to let their heads drop, and simply go through the motions and just wait for the game to end. But no. The Lankan team, having been put in by the Netherlands, came out with a sense of purpose. Despite losing opener Pathum Nisaanka for a duck, the team recovered quickly to get the scoreboard moving. And the scoring didn’t let up, with a late flourish by Angelo Mathews who scored 30 off 15 with 2 sixes.
Sri Lanka’s Batting Finally Clicks
https://gty.im/2157893537
As it is often the case with teams that have performed badly in this tournament the batting is usually the weak spot. And it has been no different for the Sri Lankans. A team that has a shortage in talent has not been able to fire when it matters. And this problem is not new for Sri Lanka. Particularly, in big tournaments. But this time it did. Unfortunately, it was a bit late in the day. When the news that the team’s elimination had hit the news this performance was sobering at best.
The other issue of course is that this is the Netherlands we are talking about. Not the strongest team in the world. So whilst the 200+ score is a good one, it is nothing much to write home about. And now that the team is on its way back, there is a lot more to think about. But on the other hand, this is familiar territory for the Islanders.
What Now for Sri Lanka?
https://gty.im/2157898870
This question has been asked many times now. The problem with Sri Lankan cricket, now over the past decade is their inability to compete, not win, but compete at the highest level. Since the end of the Mahela – Sanga era, Sri Lankan cricket has not been the same. And frankly, at this point, it is difficult to see where the optimism is going to come from. Sri Lanka has been losing their competitive edge for some time and there doesn’t seem hope for how things could improve.
Back home there is talk of a new constitution and presumable organizational changes to the cricketing board. This is familiar news. But the question is will this bear fruit? Maybe. But the cricketing world needs to be honest, Sri Lanka cricket is in a rut and it will require a lot of work to get out of.
