It is now become a familiar sight in international cricket. A once top cricketing nation struggling to stay afloat, let alone compete in a major ICC tournament. A team that comes with historical pedigree and class is now fighting to fend off opponents who are relatively weaker or equally matched on paper. That team is Sri Lanka.
The 2014 World T20 champions are a shadow of their former self in cricketing terms. The team is no longer the threat it once was. Owing to an array of on-field and off-field reasons the Sri Lankan cricket team has now sadly fallen to the level of a pushover in International cricket.
Sri Lanka’s Fall from Grace in ICC Tournaments
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Much can be said about a team’s pedigree and class. From the quality of the players, the caliber of the talent that is coming through the ranks, the strength of the domestic game, the success of the team in regional competitions, and in more recent times the popularity of franchise cricket. However, in international cricket, there is one top measure that beyond dispute determines the quality of a given team. And that is its performance in ICC tournaments.
Sri Lanka as a cricketing nation, speaking of the men’s team has had a forgettable decade or so in this regard. Having won the ICC World T20 in 2014, beating the hot favorites India in the final. That now seems like ages ago. A time when players of the class of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene graced the playing field.
Speaking of the abysmal record of Sri Lanka in ICC tournaments, since that victory in the final, the Island nation has not progressed beyond the quarter-final stage in any of the major ICC tournaments: the ICC ODI World Cup, the ICC World T20 or the ICC Champions Trophy. Given their terrible showing in last year’s World Cup, the team failed to qualify for the next edition of the Champions Trophy in 2025.
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What do the Defeats to South Africa and Bangladesh Mean for Sri Lanka?
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Not many pundits would have put their money on Sri Lanka defeating South Africa in their first game of the tournament. However, a few more would have backed their chances against a relatively weaker Bangladesh. Neither game produced a desired result for the Lankans.
Taking a step back, now with two games to go: against Nepal and the Netherlands, the chances of the Sri Lankans making it into the Super 8 look slim. The deeper issue of course is what the Sri Lankan think tank goes from here.
There is a gap developing between the top teams in the tournament: the likes of India, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and England, and then a second tier of teams like the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, with Sri Lanka below on the pecking order. The trouble is that this gap is only getting bigger. And Sri Lanka as a side, given its talent, and leadership just doesn’t have what it takes to compete at the highest level. The question is: what needs to be done? Well, a lot of thinking for a start.
About the Author
Damian Thar writes on a range of topics. In addition to his professional work, he writes essays on subjects like philosophy, history, and culture. He also writes and edits books and in his free time, he makes YouTube videos on topics like religion, theology, and current events. You can find his work here.
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