Patchy, shaky Sri Lanka thrive on luck

Pathum Nissanka bails out Sri Lanka again

By Champika Fernando in Dubai

Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup journey is already showing a familiar pattern of inconsistency. Their clinical victory over Bangladesh last Saturday had fans excited about a genuine title defence. Yet, on Monday against Hong Kong China, a side with little experience at this level, Sri Lanka scraped through by four wickets in a match that should have been routine.

On the scorecard, it looked like a regular win, but anyone who watched the match knew it was far from comfortable. Chasing 150, Sri Lanka’s batting stumbled once again. The middle order fell away, leaving Pathum Nissanka to carry the innings almost single-handedly. For a team that won this tournament three years ago, that kind of collapse is worrying.

Nissanka has been the constant presence in an otherwise unpredictable batting line-up. His half-century held the chase together in Dubai, but even he admitted it was not easy. “The pitch was slow, and we had very little knowledge about their bowlers who were operating at around 120 kilometres per hour,” he said after the match. “That made it tricky.”

But what he did not say was just as telling. He was dropped four times on either side of his fifty, and those missed chances kept Sri Lanka alive. On another night against another opponent, the story could have ended differently.
The bigger problem is clear. Sri Lanka are becoming far too dependent on Nissanka. When he makes runs, the team steadies. When he does not, they crumble. That kind of imbalance is not sustainable in a tournament where every game matters.

Former Sri Lanka player and current commentator Russell Arnold was blunt in his assessment. “There was a moment when the match could have gone either way,” he said. “Against opposition like this, we cannot be satisfied with letting things get so close. These are games where you have everything to lose and nothing to gain. The fact it came so close shows something is wrong in our approach.”

Arnold’s words cut to the heart of the matter. Sri Lanka are capable of stunning performances but, just as often, they look ordinary. “On our best days we are extraordinary. On other days we look like an average side,” he said. “The collapses are a big worry. It has happened against India, Zimbabwe and others. It keeps resurfacing.”

The record shows exactly that. Against Zimbabwe, they were 65 for 5 before being bowled out for 80. Against Bangladesh during their home bilateral series, they were bundled out for 94, chasing 178 in the second game. These are not isolated blunders. They have become part of the team’s story.

There was relief in finding a way past Hong Kong in the end. Arnold even admitted there was some value in surviving a scare. “Being tested under pressure and still winning is valuable,” he said. “But we cannot keep putting ourselves in those situations.”

So what needs to change? According to Arnold, the answer is not new players but a sharper mindset. “This is still our strongest team. The bowling attack can trouble anyone. Look at what Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera did to Bangladesh. But we need consistency of standards, not constant changes.”

Against Hong Kong China the bowlers, apart from Dushmantha Chameera, struggled to find their rhythm and frequently missed their line and length, allowing the batters to score with ease.

For now, Nissanka remains the one reliable thread in the batting unit. His technique and temperament have lifted Sri Lanka many times over the past year. But even he is not invincible. Arnold pointed out that he still looked stiff at times and suggested a short rest before Afghanistan could help him recharge.

That match on Thursday will be a far sterner test. Afghanistan are dangerous opponents who thrive on exposing weakness. They will not squander the kind of chances that Hong Kong missed. If Sri Lanka repeat the same mistakes, their title defence could unravel quickly.