Former England captain and International Cricket Commentator Nasser Hussain believes Sri Lanka are primed to exceed expectations at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, backing the team’s settled core of players and the country’s strong talent pathway to make an impact.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Hussain said the current group appears ready to deliver after years of promise without consistent results.
“It feels like the right sort of time to deliver for this core of players that they’ve stuck with,” he said, adding that Sri Lanka will always have talent to draw from.
Hussain pointed to the country’s long-established cricketing structure, noting that the foundations of the game continue to produce quality players across the island.
“You have to go there and watch and be around Colombo and Galle and Kandy and see the youth structure,” he said. “They still will produce this conveyor belt of talent.”
While Sri Lanka have underachieved at recent ICC tournaments, Hussain suggested that trend could shift in this World Cup.
“I just think this is the right time for this set of players who are talented but have not always been consistent,” he said. “I actually have a gut feeling that they will do okay in this tournament because they have underachieved in previous ICC events.”
He also cautioned against overlooking Sri Lanka as attention turns to traditional contenders such as India, Australia, South Africa and England.
“Everyone will be talking about those sides because they have made the knockouts consistently for a long time,” Hussain said. “You do not often mention Sri Lanka in that conversation.”
With familiar conditions, experienced players and renewed belief, Hussain believes Sri Lanka could surprise many at the tournament and do better than many expect. (Newswire)
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