Cricket: Stage set for Sri Lanka starring role

With star ODI batsmen like Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka can be expected to be in the running for a semifinal spot. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Depth of talent in consistently high-performing team makes them a real threat, especially on the batting front

Expect any side which boasts two of the world's greatest ODI batsmen in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, the world's third and fourth-ranked ODI all-rounders Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, and two of the best ODI spinners in Sachithra Senanayake and Rangana Herath, to feature prominently.

Sri Lanka became the World T20 champions last year with many of the same personnel and have been World Cup finalists in the previous two editions.

They miss Muttiah Muralitharan guaranteeing parsimony and confusion through the middle overs, but this side has the pedigree and experience to close out matches on the batting front, plus they have benefited from a seven-match series against New Zealand to acclimatise.

One area of their game which needs work is the quick bowling. The average of every specialist pace bowler except Suranga Lakmal has ballooned in the last 12 months. New Zealand added to that demise taking 1820 runs at a rate of 5.77 per over last month.

Playing New Zealand in Christchurch provides a pivotal opening fixture but the decision to rest Lasith Malinga in the build-up will generate host trepidation. Compounding that, New Zealand haven't beaten Sri Lanka in five World Cup meetings since 1992.

The foundation to Sri Lanka's current status came from their 1996 triumph after exiting pool play in the first five editions. On that occasion they beat arch-enemy Australia, who had refused to tour their country earlier due to security reasons.

Captain Arjuna Ranatunga riled Australia so they focused on him, not his team. Former Australian captain Ian Chappell, in an interview with Wisden Asia Cricket, said after the toss in the final Ranatunga described Shane Warne as a media myth. Warne got a whiff of it and ran to then-commentator Chappell saying: "What's that fat bastard said now?". Chappell said he knew then that the Australians were rattled.

Sri Lanka excelled as a result, with Aravinda de Silva making the match-winning century.

"Before 1996, we were amateurs," Jayawardene said before the 2007 final. "That 1996 group changed the whole concept of Sri Lankan cricket being professionally run and brought a lot of money to the game so we could develop."

Jayawardene had been playing a schoolboy match at the time, albeit a match drastically shortened so they could head home to watch the chase. The country's cricketing momentum has seldom felt a lull since. Expect them to guarantee a semifinal spot.

Sri Lanka

ODI ranking: 4

World Cup record:
1975 First round
1979 First round
1983 First round
1987 First round
1992 First round

1996 Winners v Australia

1999 First round

2003 Semifinalist v Australia

2007 Finalists v Australia

2011 Finalists v India

Captain: Angelo Mathews.

Stars: Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Watch out for: Sachithra Senanayake. A gentle delivery stride conceals multiple variations, including the doosra. He was reported for an illegal action last year but is back within specifications.

Strengths: Leadership. Mathews is skipper but, as former captains, Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Dilshan are wise heads from which to demand performance and seek guidance.

Weaknesses: Pace bowling. If Lasith Malinga's fitness fails at any stage, their attack looks vulnerable to batsmen who like the ball coming on to the bat.

Nemesis: They've lost to Pakistan each of the seven times they've played them in five World Cups, chasing on six out of seven occasions.

TAB odds: $11.

Squad: Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake.