COLOMBO, Feb 21: Spin-wizard Muttiah Muralitharan believes that Sri Lanka may go into the coming World Cup in the Caribbean as strong contenders but the 1996 victorious team from the island nation was a better side than the current one.

"Some experts are tipping us to surprise a few at the World Cup and maybe even win it. I think we have a good chance but I still believe the Sri Lanka team of 1996 was better," said Muralitharan who set to play his fourth World Cup.

"When we won the World Cup in 1996, batting-wise the team was more experienced, had flair, everything was there in that team in '96," the record-breaking off-spinner wrote on Bigstarcricket.com.—Agencies