BY REX CLEMENTINE
Sri Lanka walk into their final Asia Cup group clash against Afghanistan on Thursday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium with qualification all but assured. Even a defeat won’t derail their progress unless it comes by a crushing margin. But beneath the calm lies a storm: the team’s middle-order batting fragility is giving the management sleepless nights.
Openers Shine, Bowlers Deliver
Pathum Nissanka has led from the front, cementing his place among the world’s top six T20I batters. At the other end of the equation, the bowling looks menacing with Wanindu Hasaranga and Nuwan Thushara, both ranked inside the ICC’s top ten T20I bowlers. On paper, Sri Lanka appear well-balanced. Yet the heart of the batting—the middle order—remains a glaring weakness.
Warning Signs Against Hong Kong
The cracks were laid bare in their last outing. Chasing 150 against Hong Kong, Sri Lanka were cruising at 119 for two. Then, in a sudden implosion, four wickets tumbled for eight runs, leaving them staggering at 127 for six. Though they scrambled home with seven balls to spare, the collapse was a stark reminder of vulnerabilities that stronger opponents will ruthlessly exploit.
Spin Trouble the Root Cause
The Achilles heel is no secret—Sri Lanka struggle against spin. Dot-ball pressure builds, rotation dries up, and desperate attempts to slog bring about soft dismissals. Power hitting, never the islanders’ strength since Sanath Jayasuriya’s era, is missing. Even during their 2014 T20 World Cup triumph, their success stemmed from placement, quick singles and clever manoeuvring. That art seems lost on today’s side.
Stats expose the imbalance: this year, Sri Lanka strike at 145 against pace but crawl at 105 against spin. Sweeps and reverse sweeps have been attempted, but too often they backfire, leaving the team in deeper holes.
New Roles, Old Problems
Kusal Janith Perera, the only survivor from the 2014 golden run, has been tasked with stabilising at number four. But the move has yet to yield results. Former skipper Dasun Shanaka admitted the Hong Kong scare triggered intense dressing-room discussions.
“We had a good chat at the team meeting. We spoke about what options we could have taken against the spinners. Mistakes were made, but I’m confident the batting group will find solutions.”
Time Running Out
With India looming in the next stage, armed with a formidable spin arsenal, Sri Lanka have little time to fix their shortcomings. Unless their middle order finds answers, their Asia Cup journey risks being derailed not by pace or power, but by the oldest foe in subcontinental cricket — spin.
