Sri Lanka’s World Twenty20 hopes hinge on Zimbabwe win
Sri Lanka will be looking to avoid becoming the first high-profile casualty of the 2010 World Twenty20 when they play Zimbabwe in Guyana today.
Runners-up at the 2009 tournament in England, Sri Lanka started their Caribbean campaign with an unexpected loss to New Zealand, and what should have been a straightforward group for Kumar Sanggakara’s team has suddenly become a little tricky.
Perhaps Sri Lanka can count themselves a little unlucky to find themselves in the current predicament after Blackcap’s batsman Nathan McCullum carted Lasith Malinga (pictured) for six with one ball of the innings remaining to seal the upset win for New Zealand in the first Group B match.
"We probably lost the game in the last over,” Sanggakara said after the match. “Malinga bowled brilliantly, but he was unlucky to go for that boundary off the third ball. We need to convert good starts into good totals and improve our fielding."
In a double blow for Sri Lanka, off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sustained a groin injury during the match and has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
So, without one of their spin lynchpins, and with their backs against the wall, Sri Lanka cannot afford to let this one slide against Zimbabwe, who today play their first match of the World Twenty20 after a successful warm-up to the competition that yielded the scalps of Australia and defending champions Pakistan.
There’s no doubt the African side will enter this match with their tails up, yet without the pressure of expectation that may be starting to weigh on Sri Lankan minds. Quite simply, Zimbabwe have absolutely nothing to lose; Sri Lanka everything.
If the warm-ups are any guide, Elton Chigumbura is proving to be the danger man for Zimbabwe. The 24-year-old took just 35 balls for his 76 against Australia, and the same number of deliveries for his 49 against Pakistan in the warm-ups.
Chigumbura has not played a lone hand in Zimbabwe’s batting so far either, and though Tatenda Taibu barely got started before he was run-out against Pakistan in his sole warm-up innings the former Zimbabwe captain is another who could cause headaches for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s batting card, on paper at least, is more than a match for Zimbabwe’s. Opener Mahela Jayawardene is fresh from a 51-ball 81 against New Zealand, and we all know how exciting Tillakaratne Dilshan is at his best.
That’s the problem for Sri Lanka though, Dilshan hasn’t reached the heights of 2009 either in the recently concluded IPL or in their first match of the World Twenty20 this year. Along with the skipper, Dilshan will be looking to lift against Zimbabwe.
Muralitharan’s absence will also be felt by Sri Lanka, although they’ve still got Ajantha Mendis to call on among their slow bowling options. But if Sri Lanka are going to win this and move on in the competition, Malinga’s trademark sling bowling will need to prove more effective against Zimbabwe than it did against New Zealand where he was wicketless in 3.5 overs and conceded 33-runs.
In England during 2009, it was Australia who were held winless and made an embarrassing group stage departure from the World Twenty20. Sri Lanka will need to lift against what will be a confident Zimbabwe outfit to ensure they don’t suffer that fate in 2010.
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