Cricket World Cup 2019: Sri Lanka preview, likely starting XI: Will pre-tournament shake-up prove boom or bust?

Of all the teams in the World Cup and all their various modes of preparation for the big event, Sri Lanka have been the most bemusing. They were blanked 5-0 in the ODIs in South Africa, and thereafter proceeded to change their team captain again – Lasith Malinga was out, and Dimuth Karunaratne, who had overseen a historic Test series victory earlier on in that tour, was instated.

The selectors didn’t stop there. They brought back the likes of Jeevan Mendis, who last played in the last World Cup, and left back home quality players such as Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella and Akila Dananjaya. The coach, Chandrika Hathurusingha, somehow held on to his position.

All of which suggests this is lesson No.1 in how not to prepare for a world event. The team have an unenviable task ahead of the tournament.

Thing is, given the peculiar ways these things work sometimes, Sri Lanka might just start clicking. That’ll be the hope at least. They started the right way in the one ODI against Scotland, in which all departments came together to secure a 35-run DLS Method victory.

Can they do that against tougher opposition on world cricket’s grandest stage?

Players to watch

Lasith Malinga: Malinga’s experience will crucial for Sri Lanka. The veteran rediscovered something close to his best form in the IPL, even taking the crucial wicket to help Mumbai Indians to the title earlier this month. In an edgy, nervous squad, his experience and knowhow will be an invaluable commodity for a side trying to find their feet.

Dimuth Karunaratne: Sri Lanka’s new ODI captain has a job on his hands. He was never a regular in the format, but has been flown in on the back of his excellence as captain in the Tests. The hope is that he can carry that forward to the ODIs, but to do that, he’ll first have to ensure his own game isn’t a weakness – this a big tournament for him.

Kusal Mendis: Technically sound, temperamentally composed, Mendis is arguably Sri Lanka’s best batsman. In potentially tough situations against better-gifted teams at the World Cup, Mendis will have to hold his own and somehow rescue Sri Lanka from troubled waters. Plenty rests on his shoulders.

Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Avishka Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay

Likely XI: Avishka Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Thisara Perera, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeevan Mendis, Isuru Udana, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep

Prediction

Ninth: There was simply too much insecurity and ambiguity in the build up to the tournament, and too much remaining in obscurity. Chances are, the team will struggle big time.