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National cricket team leaves for India today
Friday, 2 February 2007 - 5:00 AM SL Time
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Sri Lanka has got less than ten days to submit their World Cup squad to the International Cricket Council and when the cut off day for submission of the squad comes on February 12, only two of the four One-Day Internationals would have ended between India and Sri Lanka. Captain Mahela Jayawardene, however, insisted that it was not an issue to be alarmed about as Sri Lanka were pretty much certain of their World Cup 15, with two middle order places and one or two places in the seam bowling department left to be decided on.
Sri Lanka leave for India today for a four match ODI series, their last assignment ahead of the high profile World Cup competition in the Caribbean. The first match is on February 8, with Eden Gardens at Calcutta hosting the day-nighter.
`We have more or less finalised the squad,` Jayawardene told `The Island` yesterday.
`There are one or two places that we need to confirm. These places that we are thinking about are very vital because of the combinations that we are thinking of playing. We don`t want to play the entire tournament with just one or two combinations. It`ll be good to have three or four combinations if possible as it will come in handy against different conditions and opposition. We`ve got an idea of about 90% of persons whom we want to take to the West Indies,` the 29-year-old added.
Although the first two games will provide the players an opportunity, Jayawardene pointed out that past performances and form will take priority over anything else.
`If you take Russel, Dilshan, Chamara Silva and Chamara Kapugedara, they have played for Sri Lanka in the last six months and we can take performances in those six months to account before deciding on the final 15. We`ll have to take into account things like form, experience, players who can handle pressure, players who can fit into the combinations that we want and who can contribute to the team.`
In the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka take two leg-spinners to India in Malinga Bandara and Upul Chandana and eventually it`ll be one of them who will make it to the West Indies. While Bandara has been involved with the team for the last 15 months, Chandana`s inclusion has been a surprising one as he last played for Sri Lanka in November 2005.
`There is healthy competition in there, but we got to make a decision purely on the bowling aspect of it. We like Murali to play all the matches during the World Cup and if he`s not fit, then we`ll need the other spinning option. That spinning option will have to bowl ten overs and that`s the decision we`ll have to make,` Jayawardene said.
When the two sides met last time in India, the tourists were thrashed 6-1 in the ODIs and 2-0 in the Tests and the Sri Lankans are pumped up to improve on that dismal record although they are not at full strength.
`That result was a big disappointment. But then things have changed, personnel have changed, the way we play has changed too and the confidence is back. But despite all that it`s still a tough place to go and play cricket. Although we are not taking our full side, we believe that this team can win matches for us.`
Innovations such as `Power Plays` and `Super Subs` had just come in when Sri Lanka toured India in November 2005 and while the tourists struggled to come to terms with these new regulations, Jayawardene felt that the reason they were beaten was because they played poor cricket.
`Those issues played a part, but at the end of the day we didn`t play good cricket and it`s as simple as that. We were not prepared and we didn`t do well. The Indians outplayed us in all departments except in fielding,` Jayawardene said.
Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Chandana, Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Malinga Bandara, T.M. Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Sanath Jayasuriya, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga and Nuwan Zoysa.
Itinerary
8th Feb. 1st ODI ? Calcutta (d/n)
11th Feb. 2nd ODI ? Rajkot
14th Feb. 3rd ODI ? Margao
17th Feb. 4th ODI - Visakhapatnam
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