Sri Lanka’s historic series defeat to Bangladesh this week, their first ever in T20 Internationals, was more than just a wake-up call. It was a full-blown alarm bell. With packed houses in Dambulla and RPS, fans who had turned up in hope left with heads bowed and hearts bruised. Tickets may have been snapped up in a frenzy, but the performances on the field left spectators feeling dejected.
Defeats are part and parcel of the game, but these back-to-back losses were humbling, a stark reminder that Sri Lanka, once kings of the format, are struggling to keep pace with the modern game.
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At the heart of the issue was a batting line-up that crumbled like a house of cards. In both defeats, Bangladesh coasted home, without being tested. Once Kusal Mendis was dismissed, the wheels came off and the innings fell into disarray. His early flourish gave hope, but the moment he departed, the rest looked like deer in headlights.
Veteran Kusal Perera had a series to forget, while Avishka Fernando found himself walking a tightrope after two lean outings. Dinesh Chandimal, returning to the side after a long lay-off and bolstered by runs in the LPL, failed to seize his moment. Skipper Charith Asalanka, usually a safe pair of hands, endured a rare dip in form while Dasun Shanaka’s late hitting in the final encounter was a case of too little, too late.
To compound matters, the team selection raised eyebrows. Sri Lanka fielded a side heavy on all-rounders and too little on specialists. The inclusion of Chamika Karunaratne, with Shanaka already in the mix, served little purpose.
The decision to overlook Dushmantha Chameera, whose raw pace rattled Bangladesh in the ODIs, was another head-scratcher. On pitches where a yard of pace could make all the difference, the quickest bowler in the ranks was left cooling his heels.
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Fielding, too, left much to be desired. Several players looked slow on the field while some others possessed poor arms, not the combination needed for high-octane world of T20 cricket. In a format where every run saved is gold dust, Sri Lanka looked sluggish and off the boil.
Asalanka, refreshingly candid in his post-match briefing, put the spotlight on the lack of firepower in the batting unit. Only a couple of players in the squad boast strike rates north of 130, he noted, while top-tier teams routinely field power-hitters from positions one to seven who can clear the ropes at will.
In that context, the appointment of Power Hitting Coach Julian Wood for a short stint is a step in the right direction. Wood, whose work in the IPL and elsewhere has earned rave reviews from some of the game’s biggest hitters, is expected to inject fresh ideas into the batting setup.
But coaching alone won’t fix systemic issues. Selectors must cast a wider net – dipping into the ‘A’ team and the Emerging squad to unearth players with the temperament and muscle for the big stage. With the T20 World Cup just months away, there’s little time to dilly-dally.
Memories of the last World Cup debacle – a first-round exit – still sting. A year on, and despite a change in leadership, the same ghosts continue to haunt Sri Lanka’s T20 fortunes.
That said, all is not gloom and doom. The opening pair of Mendis and Pathum Nissanka has been a breath of fresh air. Their approach has turned the Power Play from a period of consolidation into one of calculated aggression. Once upon a time, Sri Lanka would crawl through the first six overs. Now, they’re making it count – a rare bright spot in an otherwise dark chapter.
Over the last two years, the islanders have shown real fight in Test cricket and made headway in ODIs. But the T20 format remains their Achilles’ heel. Unless urgent course corrections are made, the team risks being left behind in a game that waits for no one.
