If there is one format in which Sri Lanka have inched forward with quiet but convincing authority over the last 15 months, it is the 50-over game. After the heartbreak of missing the Champions Trophy and the ignominy of a ninth-place finish at the World Cup, the Lankans rolled up their sleeves, left no stone unturned and stitched together a decent run, including landmark series wins over Australia and England. But Friday’s defeat to Pakistan has knocked the wind out of their sails.
From the depths of the ICC rankings, Sri Lanka clawed their way up to No. 4 earlier this year — an ascent built following some giant killing efforts against top teams. But the latest series loss means they will slide back to No. 5 when the charts are refreshed next week.
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What will sting is that Sri Lanka had their chances in both encounters, only for old ghosts to come knocking. Shoddy catching — a long-running Achilles heel — returned to haunt them, with sitters shelled at crucial junctures. Batting collapses, too, reared their head. Several top-order batters got in, looked set and then gifted their wickets with soft dismissals — the kind of charity you simply can’t afford in modern white-ball cricket.
Charith Asalanka’s shot selection will draw the heaviest scrutiny. The captain, Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked ODI batter and a man who has held the innings together with a string of rescue missions over the last two years, played a couple of uncharacteristic strokes that raised eyebrows in the dressing room. Already under pressure after lean returns in T20s and some questionable calls during the Asia Cup, Asalanka will know he needs to steady the ship — and quickly — with a long tour of Pakistan still ahead.
Sri Lanka’s Decision Review System calls were equally ragged. In the first ODI, with Pakistan pinned to the ropes, one smart review could have flipped the script. The golden rule remains unchanged: bowlers will always be eager; it is up to the captain and wicketkeeper to separate hope from evidence. Sri Lanka failed miserably with their reviews.
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Maheesh Theekshana, once the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler, endured another barren run. Just one wicket in his last five outings is a worrying stat for someone who was Sri Lanka’s banker both with the new ball and during the middle overs.
Sunday’s clash is far from a dead rubber. Pride is on the line as rankings are at stake and a win will ensure Sri Lanka stay breathing down Pakistan’s neck. The mood isn’t all doom and gloom either. Janith Liyanage continues to emerge as a genuine gem — chipping in with gritty middle-order runs and rolling his arm over for handy overs when the quicks take tap. He looks every inch a long-term investment.
Wanindu Hasaranga, too, made his presence felt. Pakistan refused to take him on with the ball, and with the bat he produced back-to-back rescue acts. His return has restored depth right down to No. 8 — a luxury Sri Lanka have seldom enjoyed. If he can stay fit, he will be central to their plans for the T20 World Cup they co-host in three months’ time.
Sri Lanka may have been pushed onto the back foot this week, but with one more ODI to play, the series still offers a chance to stop the rot — and remind Pakistan that this contest is far from a one-way street.
