• Wants team to avoid losing wickets in clumps in power-play 
• Says Lanka will be the team to beat 

The Women’s Selection Committee Chair Hemantha Devapriya is firmly of the opinion that if Chamari Athapaththu and her team could play to their full potential, retention of the Asia Cup for 2026 played in the T20 format, would be a formality.

Looking into Sri Lanka’s chances ahead of Friday’s (11) second semifinal against Pakistan in Dubai, UAE, Devapriya wants the side to guard against any complacency, and play to their maximum potential which he feels would then get them across the line.

“I feel we (Sri Lanka) are capable of going all the way to defend this title,” he told The Daily Morning Sports.

“They still need to watch out for complacency which could prove to be their undoing. But, looking at the way the team has performed in the group stage, I think we are in a very good space performance wise heading to the Knockout round.”

Devapriya said it was pleasing to see both batters and bowlers clicking in unison for the defending champions, on what he said were ‘rather low-scoring group phase’ fixtures in the UAE, and predicted the wickets could be different going into the business end of the competition.

“I think they might turn out belters for the semifinals and finals, having witnessed modest scores thus far in the group round matches,” he remarked, when asked to comment on the state of surfaces produced for the ongoing edition of the regional showpiece.

Pressed for areas which Sri Lanka who topped Group B with an unbeaten record, would need to still improve, the former wicket-keeper batter called for the team management to focus on avoiding losing wickets in clumps, during the power-play when batting first.

“I think we’ve been losing wickets in a heap in the power-play, and that is a concern for me,” he opined as Sri Lanka prepares for the do-or-die stage of the tournament.

“This is something they will need to address before Friday, and then hopefully ahead of the final two days later. If this shortcoming could be overcome, I think Sri Lanka in my book, will be the side to beat in this particular edition.”

Asked whether Sri Lanka is capable of seeing off India in Sunday’s (13) final at the same venue, Devapriya added that if Chamari and the girls could bring their A game into the sudden death phase of the tournament, no other team will be able to deny them lifting the Asia Cup.

“The way I see it, India is already playing under enormous pressure, and I doubt whether they can turn tables on us (Sri Lanka) on current form,” the Selection Committee Chair observed.

“That is why I said earlier that their biggest enemy is not any other team, but that thing called complacency. Form wise and talent wise, Sri Lanka is well served in all areas of the game. However, even the best of teams has been undone in the past, due to failing to guard against complacency, and that is an area they need to keep in check.”

Devapriya also commended experienced captain Chamari Athapaththu for leading the team from the front, and praised seniors and juniors alike for what he viewed as ‘playing cohesive cricket’.

He advised the team to get used to whatever the type of wickets prepared for the backend of the tournament, and urged them to play their natural game, without being burdened by the undue hype as that would take care of the result itself.