Inconsistent Sri Lanka will seek to clean out their cobwebs when they host unheralded Asian team Oman in their T20 World Cup Group B clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium this morning.
Fresh from a nervy but unconvincing 20-run victory over profligate Ireland in their tournament opener in Colombo on Sunday (8), the World Cup co-hosts are under pressure from success-starved home followers to turn around their fortunes in the format.
A recent string of losses in bilateral series against Pakistan and England at home has tested the patience of avid fans here, who vented their anger in no uncertain terms, following the conclusion of the T20I series against England at the same venue, in the lead up to the World Cup.
However, they still managed to eke out an unimpressive win over the sloppy Irish who grassed no less than seven catches to launch their WC campaign witnessed by a sizable Premadasa crowd, who had braved social media calls to boycott the game in view of the team’s underwhelming run.
However, Dasun Shanaka’s team will know they cannot take their opponents today any less lightly, and anything less than a comprehensive triumph will see the knives come out for the umpteenth time, as they look to stay afloat with a crunch tie against Australia looming next week.
Sri Lanka will also have to make do without experienced all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who has been ruled out of the month-long competition by a hamstring injury sustained in the tie against Ireland.
In his absence the Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage spin duo will have more responsibility thrust on their shoulders and their returns will have a big bearing on their progress through the competition.
The home team’s batters also will need to show more consistency and the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Janith and Charith Asalanka will have to rediscover their lost mojo, if they are to avoid a seismic reverse which could derail their Cup campaign at the hill-capital venue.
Oman, trained by ex-Sri Lanka skipper Duleep Mendis are made up mostly of expatriate Indians and Pakistanis and their descendants, and playing in their fourth World Cup, Sri Lanka will know they can write them off at their peril.
Oman debuted in the 2016 T20I World Cup in India and has since qualified for three subsequent editions of the showpiece event.
As they go into this fixture, Jatinder Singh’s men have nothing to lose, but everything to gain as they target a prized scalp in the form of the island nation who are yet struggling to hit the ground running.
In head to head contests both nations have played two T20Is in Oman, which served as warm ups for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman having won both under incumbent captain Shanaka.