India is highly anticipated to excel in the Asia Cup 2025, yet Russell Arnold believes Sri Lanka has the potential to make it to the final round.
Sri Lanka's T20 Asia Cup 2025: Search for the Ideal Lineup
The T20 Asia Cup 2025 is fast approaching, and the Sri Lankan cricket team is gearing up for the challenge. Former cricketer Russel Arnold shared his insights on the team's preparations and prospects.
Wanindu Hasaranga, a key player for Sri Lanka, has been impressive with his spin bowling, but his batting performance hasn't met expectations. Arnold emphasised the importance of Hasaranga's availability and fitness for the balance of the squad.
Charith Asalanka, the captain of the Sri Lankan team for the T20 Asia Cup 2025, and Pathum Nissanka have been in good form across all formats. Nissanka's focus and quiet personality have allowed him to score consistently, according to Arnold.
Sri Lanka sees the Asia Cup as an opportunity to experiment and settle players into their roles. Arnold mentioned that they have a fair idea of who they want to go forward with in terms of age and experience. However, the number four position is still up for grabs, and the team is searching for a suitable batter.
Two pacer options for Sri Lanka in the T20 Asia Cup 2025 are Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara. Pathirana is faster and more effective towards the end of the innings, while Thushara offers versatility with his slower ball and can be used at different stages. Binura Fernando, a tall left-armer, adds variety to the Sri Lankan attack.
Kamindu Mendis has been performing well for Sri Lanka at number seven. Nuwanidu Fernando, the current number four batter for Sri Lanka, hasn't yet made a significant impact at the international level. Arnold expressed concern about Pathirana's ability to be trusted at various stages in international cricket.
Arnold predicts that Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will progress from Group B. He assessed Group B as a tough group, with Afghanistan being a significant threat due to their improving batting and all-round play. In Group A, alongside India, the teams are Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman. Arnold sees India as the tournament favourites, having lost only 10 games out of 53 since the 2022 T20 World Cup. He also predicts that Pakistan will be the other team that goes through from Group A.
Arnold believes Sri Lanka has a good balance and the potential to go all the way in the T20 Asia Cup 2025. He also mentioned that the team has a mix of 11 to 13 players that they can use flexibly, but the number four position is still a question mark. The T20 Asia Cup 2025 begins on September 9.
