Sri Lanka got their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign underway with a 20-run win over Ireland and will be looking to continue with their winning momentum against Oman tomorrow. Ian Bishop and Nasser Hussain discussed Sri Lanka’s potential, Kusal Mendis’ class and how the team will exceed expectations despite inconsistencies.
Ian Bishop weighed in on the Sri Lankan team and their potential in the tournament:
“This is a tough one for me. It is hard to figure out what direction Sri Lanka are going in. Kusal Mendis is a special talent. The way he plays and the shots he has in his arsenal prove that he is a world-class player. Wanindu Hasaranga was going to be a key player, but he has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. In his absence, the responsibilities will fall on the shoulders of Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka. I am never sure about Dushmantha Chameera’s fitness level either. So, they are a bit of an enigma to me. I am not being unkind. Sri Lanka will prove very dangerous at home. But whether they have entered a new era of T20 batting, only time will tell.”
Nasser Hussain discussed how Sri Lanka can overcome their inconsistencies:
“The pitches in Sri Lanka are good and should help the spinners as the tournament goes on. Big home crowds will be there to support the Sri Lankan team. Yes, they are ranked eighth in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings, but Sri Lanka is a team which cannot be taken lightly. They have been going through a rough patch where they have been very inconsistent. They win a couple of matches and people think Sri Lanka are back, then they lose. They need to find consistency. This T20 World Cup, they have kept their core team intact and have home advantage. If they do not win the trophy at home with all these conditions in their favour, it will be very disappointing. This feels like the right time for this talented group of players to finally deliver. Sri Lanka always produces talented players through their strong youth system and I have a gut feeling they will do okay this time in the 2026 T20 World Cup because they have underachieved in past tournaments.”
Also Read | New Zealand vs Canada T20 Head to Head Records and Stats – ICC T20 World Cup 2026
On why Sri Lanka should not be counted out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026:
“You should not write Sri Lanka off in the tournament. People will not see them as strong contenders because of their recent poor form. Everyone will talk about India, Australia, South Africa, and England, the teams that have made the knockouts of the T20 World Cup consistently for a long time. You do not mention Sri Lanka in that sentence. But in this edition of the tournament, with home advantage and their core of experienced players, I have a gut feeling that Sri Lanka may do a little better than people think. I might be horribly wrong, though.”
