Remarkable year in ODI cricket for SL

The Sri Lanka team poses with the ODI series trophy after their 2-0 win against New Zealand   

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

2024 has been a remarkable resurgence in ODI cricket for Sri Lanka. 

They played 18 matches, won 12, lost three, tied one, and three ended in no-results giving them a win percentage of 66.66, which is the highest attained by a Test nation barring Pakistan, who have the same win percentage but having played only three matches.

The nation that comes nearest to Sri Lanka is Australia who have seven wins out of 11 matches and a win percentage of 63.63.

The unique feature of this year is that Sri Lanka started and ended 2024 with a no-result due to rain. Their first match for the calendar year was against Zimbabwe at the R. Premadasa Stadium in January and their final match was against New Zealand at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Sri Lanka have completed their white-ball matches for the rest of the year. Their next series commences in January 2025 in New Zealand.

Sri Lanka’s chances of displacing New Zealand from fifth position in the ICC ODI rankings were defeated by bad weather that allowed only 21 overs to be bowled in the third ODI. The no-result meant that New Zealand retained their position at five and Sri Lanka remained at six, although both teams had the same rating of 98. 

Nevertheless, it has been a significant year for Sri Lanka in this white-ball game where they were at one time languishing in eighth position and went through the ignominy of having to play in a qualification tournament to qualify for a place in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India and having done that, failed to qualify for a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka’s ODI record in 2024

Beat Zimbabwe 2-0 (H)

Beat Afghanistan 3-0 (H)

Lost to Bangladesh 2-1 (A)

Beat India 2-0 (H)

Beat West Indies 2-1 (H)

Beat New Zealand 2-0 (H)

The first three ODI series for the year were won and lost when Chris Silverwood was the Head Coach. Since Sanath Jayasuriya took over, Sri Lanka has beaten India, West Indies, and New Zealand.

Though Sri Lanka has shown that they are unbeatable at home, they have a lot to prove in contests abroad. Their only blemish for the year was losing to Bangladesh away.

Whilst beating a fully-fledged Indian side can be considered the icing on the cake, the same cannot be said of the wins against West Indies and New Zealand, although in cricketing terms a win is a win regardless of the strength of the opposition. Both teams were not at full strength while Sri Lanka played to their full capacity.

West Indies, for instance, were without senior players like Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein, and Shimron Hetmyer, who opted out of the tour for personal reasons.

Likewise, missing from the New Zealand line-up were Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, and Kane Williamson who stood down to prepare for the three-Test series against England starting later this month.

While the Sri Lanka team and its players will gain a lot of self-confidence from their wins, the hard truth is whether they were fully tested. Even though not at full strength, West Indies and New Zealand gave Sri Lanka a good run in the white-ball series, managing to win at least one match.

Sri Lanka’s wins at home were achieved on turning pitches where spin was their strength. The true test for Sri Lanka will come when they play away from home. The tour to New Zealand next year for three T20Is and three ODIs would determine rightly how strong Sri Lanka are as an ODI team.

For now, let us enjoy the success the cricketers have achieved. The victories have at least brought back the smiles on the faces of cricket fans who at one time shunned turning up at matches.

The Jayasuriya era has rejuvenated the team to the extent that they believe in themselves and they now go out with a purpose to win every match they play. It is shown by the approach of the team on the field where there is fight, purpose, and the tenacity to win even from hopeless positions. There is healthy competition for places amongst the batsmen and the bowlers and the fielding has improved vastly to the extent that even half chances are 

gobbled up.

Whether the ODI team has turned the corner, time will tell.