Sri Lanka have their backs against the wall with key players missing but will hope new match-winners stand up to boost their chances at the Cricket World Cup 2023.

Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha.

Best finish at the tournament

Champions (1996)

Led by the inspirational Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka took the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1996 by storm, playing a brand of cricket that defied convention at the time.

Central to their success was the opening pair of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, who capitalised on the initial 15 overs of fielding restrictions to leave opposition teams reeling.

Sri Lanka topped the group stages after finishing with five wins, albeit two of those against Australia and West Indies as a result of forfeit with the two teams refusing to travel to the Island Nation citing security reasons.

Their batting prowess was evident as they comfortably defeated Zimbabwe and India by six wickets each. In a memorable group stage match against Kenya, Sri Lanka set a world record for the highest team score in ODIs with an astonishing 398/5, a record that stood until 2006.

The quarter-final against England saw Sanath Jayasuriya’s blistering 44-ball 82 made chasing a target of 236 look effortless.

Their semi-final win was a controversial affair as it was the first-ever international game won by default. Sri Lanka batted first and set India 252 runs to win. India were 98/1 at one point before a collapse of epic proportions, starting with Tendulkar’s wicket, reduced them to 120/8.

The angry home fans started hurling objects onto the pitch and play was halted for 20 minutes before eventually being called off with the match awarded to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka went into the final against Australia as the underdogs but Aravinda de Silva’s all-round clinic brought Sri Lanka glory. With the ball, he accounted for the wickets of Mark Taylor and Ricky Ponting, finishing with figures of 3/42.

In response, Sri Lanka lost their fiery opener early but De Silva once again came to the team’s rescue with 107* and was well supported by Gurusinha and Ranatunga as they romped home by seven wickets to get their hands on the coveted trophy for the first time.

Results in the last 10 ODI games

(Most recent first): L W L W W W W W W W

Fixtures

vs South Africa – 7 October, Delhi

vs Pakistan – 10 October, Hyderabad