Preview
Jaffna Stallions by far are the most organized franchise. From the draft up until now, their structured approach, balanced squad and active social media presence has attracted fans across the country and the globe (including former Sri Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene & Kumar Sangakkara). This squad reminds the Mumbai Indians squad of 2013: a young squad built for future!
A great mix of youth and experience, Stallions are termed as the favorites of the inaugural LPL 2020. Can they manage high expectations & deliver the goods? We should have an answer for that in the next couple of weeks…
Best XI
- Avishka Fernando
- Johnson Charles*
- Dhananjaya De Silva
- Shoaib Malik*
- Minod Bhanuka (wk)
- Thisara Perera (C)
- Chathuranga De Silva
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Duanne Olivier*
- Usman Shinwari*
- Suranga Lakmal
Apart from Johnson Charles, Stallions have the rest of the players to start with their best XI. A more than capable Tom Moores can take Charles’ place at the top of the order until the arrival of the latter. The experienced Kyle Abbot too will be expected to play at some stage in place of Olivier. The exuberance of youth, coupled with the experienced local & international stars, this XI by far is the most balanced out of all sides.
Batting
They could be 80/0 after 10 overs or 15/2 after 3 overs, that’s how unpredictable the Stallions’ top order is. On their day, the likes of Fernando & Charles can destroy any opposition. But the batsmen to follow; De Silva & Malik, together with Minod Bhanuka has the ability to stabilize the inning and take the game deep. This will allow Thisara Perara to do bat with freedom and will allow the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga & Chathuranga de Silva to put in the finishing touches.
Stallions got the fire power in their top, middle and lower order batting. Any given day, they can expect 1 or 2 batsman to come good and provide a rapid inning. This batting line up of Stallions makes them one of the favorites to win the tournament.
Bowling
The pace attack has experience and variety; Lakmal can swing the new ball, Shinwari got both pace & swing and Olivier can hit the deck and hurry any batsman. They further have Kyle Abbot who could feature in the starting XI. With Thisara Perera’s medium pace, they’ve got all bases covered in the pace department. They all are capable of bowling at the death and it will not be easy for oppositions to get over them.
Their spin attack is equally potent, with one of Sri Lanka’s best leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga playing a lead role. His brother Chathuranga de Silva’s left arm orthodox spin together with Dhananjaya de Silva’s wily off-spin, Stallions seem to have a settled spin bowling attack. They further have Mahesh Theekshana in case if they need a bit of mystery spin.
Local Stars
Stallions line up includes current Sri Lankan internationals such as Thisara, Avishka, Dhananjaya, Lakmal and Wanindu, with both Minod Bhanuka and Chathuranga de Silva who has experienced national colors. They all have experience playing at the international stage and it will be hard to drop any of the above from the playing XI. Consistency would be the challenge, specially when it comes to batting and if they can put of consistent performances, it will be hard to stop the Stallions.
Be it Avishka Fernando or Wanindu Hasaranga, Thisara Perera or Dhananjaya de Silva, they’ve all got the X-Factor. On their day, they can change the game single handedly with the ball or the bat, so they will not have to depend on 1 or 2 individuals to carry them through the tournament.
International Stars
Equally, their internationals stars are all experienced at the international level. The experience Malik will be key in controlling the inning with the bat, and will be resourceful in the field for captain Perera. Shinwari has been in good form, while Charles, Olivier & Abbot has experience in the international level. Will they deliver consistently is a question yet to be answered, but given their experience, Stallions will hope for consistency from their international stars.
Comparatively, the X-Factor in the international stars are less than their local counterparts. Charles could be a game changer at the top of the order while both Shinwari, Olivier & Abbot could be match winners with the ball.
Tournament is critical for…
Avishka Fernando- The fearless approach of Fernando captured the eyes of the world in the World Cup 2019. This tournament will be key for Fernando to prove national selectors, as well as other global franchises his worth as a T20 opener.
Wanindu Hasaranga– He is starting to get recognized as the lead spinner in the Sri Lanka side, but LPL 2020 is critical for Hasaranga to stamp his authority. With all Sri Lanka leg spinners in exhibition, Hasaranga would love to end the tournament as a leading wicket taker.
Critical Success Factors
- Experienced Middle & lower middle order – This will allow the openers to bat freely, which could be beneficial for Stallions. The middle and lower middle order is capable of mitigating any risk and catapulting scores to high 180s & 200s
- Diverse pace attack- to deliver with the new ball, as well as the old. Their experience will come in handy during crunch situations
- Stable spin attack- Hasaranga, Dhananjaya & Chathuranga to keep the run rate in check and dent oppositions with timely blows
IPL Comparator
Mumbai Indians- A Balanced squad & a structured game plan, they could be expected to perform consistently
Tournament Prediction
- Best Ranking- 1
- Worst Ranking- 4
They have all the ingredients to win the tournament. Will the pre tournament favorites finish their campaign with the LPL 2020 trophy?
About the Author
Dileepa Peiris is an ardent Cricket fan and has a keen interest for cricket analytics. Having come from a Management Consulting background, Dileepa is currently employed at a Technology giant in Singapore.