JOHANNESBURG, Feb 20: Less than a month ago nothing went right for Sri Lanka on the cricket field. Now they can do no wrong as World Cup rivals are finding out to their dismay.
Sanath Jayasuriya’s men began the tournament with a 47-run win over New Zealand before bulldozing Bangladesh and Canada so convincingly that records tumbled like nine pins.
The nine-wicket romp over Canada at Paarl on Wednesday lasted just two hours and 23.3 overs, the shortest in the 28-year-old history of the World Cup.
Before that, left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas grabbed a hat trick with the first three balls of the match against Bangaldesh and added a fourth wicket with the fifth delivery.
Sri Lanka are clearly a different side from the one that suffered heavy defeats in both Test and one-day cricket on tours of South Africa and Australia over the last four months.
The lowest point came when they were shot out for 65 by Australia’s second string in a one-day practice match. As the hosts won easily in the first session itself, officials ordered another 25-overs-a-side game to be played after the break.
Jayasuriya’s men lost that one too.
Sri Lanka, World Cup champions in 1996, came to South Africa having won just two of their 11 one-dayers in this country. Now they have won three in a row with no signs of slowing down.
Jayasuriya attributes the sudden change in fortunes to the time spent in South Africa and Australia before the World Cup.
“We don’t get these sort of wickets in Sri Lanka,” the dashing left-hander said.
“Playing in these conditions for three months, both here and in Australia, we have got used to them and know what to expect.
“Everyone in the side knows the conditions. That’s a big help and that’s why we are playing such good cricket.”
Sri Lanka sit proudly on top of Group ‘B’ with three straight wins and will qualify for the Super Six if they beat Kenya at Nairobi on Feb 24 — even before the key games against heavyweights West Indies and South Africa.
But Jayasuriya, displaying the confidence that comes with winning, insisted he would not be happy just qualifying for the next round.
“We want the top the group and take forward as many points into the Super Six.” he said. “Which means it is important to beat both the West Indies and South Africa.”
The destruction of Canada and the early finish did not happen just by chance. The Sri Lankans had planned a heavy victory to improve their run rate.
Jayasuriya, however, would not let complacency set in.
“One wrong move and the World Cup could be over for us,” he said. “We should not be concerned at what is happening to other teams. The aim is to win all our games.”—AFP