Curtains for Sri Lanka at India’s dress rehearsal

By Champika Fernando in Dubai

Wounded by their lacklustre showing in the second round that condemned them to an early exit, Sri Lanka will walk out in Dubai tonight with little but pride at stake as they face India in the last Super Four encounter of the Asia Cup.

The fixture is a dead rubber in the standings after India secured their place in the final and Sri Lanka were sent packing following back-to-back defeats to Bangladesh and Pakistan. Yet, when the two sides meet under the lights, the game will carry significance in other ways. 

For India, a chance to fine-tune ahead of Sunday’s final and for Sri Lanka, one final opportunity to restore a little dignity after a campaign that promised plenty but unravelled in disappointing fashion.

The contrast between Sri Lanka’s buoyant group-stage form and their stumble in the Super Fours could hardly be starker. Three straight wins, full of energy and intent, had propelled them into the business end of the tournament with growing belief. But when the pressure rose, their cricket wilted. Against Bangladesh they struggled to defend a score, they should have managed with comfort. Against Pakistan they were bundled out for 133, their batters guilty of rash strokes and muddled judgement.

The inconsistency is nothing new. It has dogged Sri Lanka across formats for years and remains the most pressing challenge. In Abu Dhabi, Charith Asalanka, the captain, made no attempt to sugar-coat his frustration, openly questioning the balance of the side. Having relied on a seven-four split (seven batters and four bowlers), they shifted to a six-five combination in their last Super Four game against Pakistan. 

The idea was to bolster the attack, but in reality, it left the batting exposed. When early wickets fell, the middle order buckled under pressure and the momentum slipped away. The gamble did not pay off, and with elimination confirmed, there is little reason to persist with the experiment.

A return to the more conventional seven-four line-up is expected tonight. That could open the door for Janith Liyanage, the middle-order batter, who has watched all of this tournament from the sidelines. His inclusion would restore some depth and stability to the line-up with Chamika Karunaratne, the bowling allrounder, likely to be the man to make way. With little riding on the result, the selectors may also be tempted to give Binura Fernando a run in place of Nuwan Thushara. The tall left-arm seamer brings variety and has the knack of bowling clever changes of pace.

For India, the mood is very different. They have already ticked the box that mattered most: qualification to the final. That allows Suryakumar Yadav and his think-tank to treat tonight’s game as a dress rehearsal, a final chance to iron out the creases before the trophy is on the line. 

Their batting has looked in strong shape, with Abishek Sharma providing assurance. The bowling has been equally sharp, Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack with trademark precision while Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist-spin continues to bamboozle opponents in these conditions.

Whether India chooses to rest a few frontline players remains to be seen. It would make sense to manage workloads, with the bigger contest looming at the weekend. But India are usually reluctant to hand Sri Lanka any foothold, even in a game stripped of consequence.

For Sri Lanka, the incentive is simple. They need to leave Dubai with something to show for their efforts, something more than the bitter taste of missed opportunities. A win against the tournament favourites, even in a game that does not alter the standings, would at least provide a parting note of defiance. It would also give them a foundation to build on as attention turns to the T20 World Cup next year, where the same questions about balance, temperament and execution will resurface if left unaddressed.

With Asalanka urging his team to show greater responsibility and clarity, the task will be to put together one complete performance instead of the disjointed fare that has marked their Super Four campaign. 

Team balance, a recurring concern - Kandamby

Sri Lanka’s batting coach Thilina Kandamby acknowledged that the players’ confidence has taken a hit but insisted the only way forward is to learn from past mistakes and give their best on the field. Speaking at the team’s pre-match press conference ahead of their final Super Four clash against India in Dubai today, Kandamby remained upbeat despite the side’s setbacks.

“India is a very strong side, but if our players perform to their potential on the day, I believe they are a team that can be beaten,” he said, signalling belief in the squad’s capability despite being out of contention for Sunday’s final following defeats to Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Team balance has been a recurring concern throughout the Super Four stage. Kandamby highlighted the ongoing challenge of deciding between including an extra batsman or relying on an all-rounder. “Most teams have batting depth until number eight. It’s very hard for us to go in with seven batsmen and four bowlers. We need an all-rounder,” he explained. Reflecting on the loss to Pakistan, he pointed to early dismissals of key batsmen Pathum and Kusal in the powerplay as pivotal moments, compounded by almost 60 dot balls in the innings. “Clearly, our combination is an issue, but our approach is to make changes only after considering conditions and opposition, rather than constant chopping and changing,” Kandamby added. He also stressed the importance of establishing a settled squad. “If you take the 1996 World Cup win, six players had played 100 matches each. We cannot just keep bringing in 25–30 players. The focus should be on identifying a core group of 17 or 18 and rotating within that pool,” he said, emphasising the need for continuity and stability in the side.

Kandamby showed empathy for the disappointment felt by fans. “We are just as disappointed as the supporters. The players gave their best and competed well, but crucial mistakes at key moments cost us. It hurts to let our supporters down, but we cannot dwell on it. The World Cup is just a few months away, and our focus must be on correcting those errors and moving forward.”

While the tournament may hold little at stake for Sri Lanka, today’s encounter with India presents an opportunity to regain confidence.