If the World Cup was solely rated on batting, then Sri Lanka would deserve to be favourites.
Their batting line-up is superb, with all of their top six producing outstanding performances during this tournament.
The stand-out of course is the incomparable Kumar Sangakkara, who has just reeled off four centuries in a row in his usual effortless, graceful style.
The thrashing machine, Tillakaratne Dilshan, has made two centuries and generally got his team away to a flyer.
Fellow opener and vice captain Lahiru Thirimanne has missed out the past two innings, but made that terrific hundred to help pilot Sri Lanka to an easy, nine-wicket win over England chasing over 300 in Wellington.
Mahela Jayawardene, who is retiring after this World Cup, has a century as well, while skipper Angelo Matthews does at the end what Dilshan does at the start in another blitzkrieg role.
Dinesh Chandimal had his moments, such as smashing 48 off just 21 balls against Australia in Sydney last Sunday, before a hamstring injury ended his World Cup. If he didn’t get injured, the Sri Lankans were some chance of overhauling Australia’s massive 376.
He will be a loss in the knockout stages, but if three of the top five can continue their great form, Sri Lanka will remain more than competitive.
Their main issue is bowling. The better teams such as Australia and even England, although they have had a poor World Cup, dominated the Sri Lankan attack. This has been compounded by injuries to medium fast bowler Dhammika Prasad and off-spinner Jeevan Mendis, who were forced out before the tournament started, and now their star spinner Rangana Herath.
Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera have been fine servants for their country, but are steady bowlers at best and have trouble stemming the run flow against the better batsmen.
Dilshan with his off spinners and Matthews’ medium pacers ensure they have options outside their recognised bowlers, but neither are match winners with the ball.
In short, they rely far too much on the yorkers and slinging action of Lasith Malinga.
At this stage they are likely to play South Africa in the quarter finals and considering South Africa’s patchy form and reliance on the world’s best right-handed one-day batsman, AB de Villiers, the Sri Lankans are a massive chance. However if AB puts on another unbelievable display of power-hitting, like he did against the West Indies, Angelo Matthews’ men will be in trouble.
But if the Lankans bat first, they would put enormous pressure on the Proteas, who need more from Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and especially opener Quinton de Kock, who has hardly made a run.
Sri Lanka would love to ensure two of their greatest ever players in Sangakkara and Jayawardene end their one day careers in the best possible way.
The rest of the team owe them that, particularly the bowlers, who need to shine on the big stage.
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