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Sri Lankan cricketers Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Avishka Fernando go through the customary religious ceremony prior to the team’s departure to Bangladesh yesterday
Sri Lanka T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga said that he was looking to take the confidence of winning the three-match series against Bangladesh to the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA.
“This is the last T20I series before the World Cup and I am looking forward to winning it 3-0 and taking the confidence gained from it to the World Cup,” said Hasaranga shortly before the team’s departure to Bangladesh yesterday.
The Lanka T20I squad of 17 players left in the early hours of yesterday to play in a three-match series against Bangladesh starting at Sylhet on 4 March.
“If you take the two sides, we know how high our team is. We have the confidence to play our brand of cricket and play well as a team. We always try to see how we can keep our fans happy, how we can win as a team. That’s our belief in the team,” said Hasaranga who will be forced to stand down from the first two T20Is against Bangladesh due to a two-match ban imposed by the ICC for his run-in with umpire Lyndon Hannibal in the third T20I against Afghanistan on 21 February.
Vice-captain Charith Asalanka will lead Sri Lanka in the first two T20Is in Hasaranga’s absence.
The three-match T20I series will be followed by a three-match ODI series starting on 13 March at Chattogram.
“I have the confidence that we can do well in the series. At practices also we are in a good space. Several of our players have played in Bangladesh before,” said Sri Lanka ODI skipper Kusal Mendis.
“There was a time when we had problems with our batting. When our top order fires, the middle fails and vice versa. In the past two series either one or two of the top order or middle order batsmen have got together and won matches for us which is a good thing. There are a lot of good things happening inside the team. I am confident that we will be able to finish on top.”
Sri Lanka will conclude their Bangladesh tour with a two-match Test series starting at Sylhet on 22 March which will be part of the ICC World Test Championship.
“We have not named a Test squad as yet, but it will most likely be the same one that played in the recent one-off Test against Afghanistan,” said Sri Lanka Test skipper Dhananjaya de Silva.
“We have not yet begun practising our skills, we are only working on our fitness. There’s time for the Test matches to start. Closer to the dates we will commence that as well.”
“Bangladesh has played good cricket over the past few years. We know what their strong and weak points are and we will prepare likewise. I hope to play with our full side and have a good game of cricket.”
Both Mendis and De Silva are also part of the Sri Lanka T20I squad.
The Lankan team left without top order batter Kusal Perera who is recovering from illness and is expected to join the team before the commencement of the T20I series.
SRI LANKA TOUR ITINERARY
