Why unhappy Aravinda de Silva has decided not to watch Sri Lanka play

Dubai: After a heartbreaking loss recently, Sri Lankan cricket legend Aravinda de Silva has made a bold decision: he won’t watch his team play again unless they reach the World Test Championship final.

The former captain’s choice followed a recent defeat against New Zealand, a game he had tuned in to watch for the first time in a long while. “After a long time, I started watching a match, and unfortunately, we lost that match,” de Silva told Gulf News during his visit to Jafza Cup, presented by We One in Dubai. “My heartfelt wishes to the entire team to try and somehow get to the World Test Championship final, and if they do get into the final, I would love to be there at Lord’s, even if they lose. I won’t be able to resist that,” the star batter said with a smile.

The Jafza Cup made a triumphant return for its second edition, with 48 teams battling it out in 103 matches during the Dubai Fitness Challenge month. Last year’s champions, We One Head Office, reached the final once again but lost narrowly to DHL Express, who successfully chased down 57 runs to claim victory. This year’s tournament marked the largest corporate cricket competition in Dubai’s history, organised by DP World, Jafza, and We One.

Sri Lanka’s path to WTC Final

Sri Lanka are currently in the third spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a 55.56 per cent win percentage. They, along with New Zealand and South Africa, follow India, who moved to the top of the standings after a 295-run win in Perth, unseating Australia. All five teams remain in contention for the two spots in the final, with New Zealand set to face England in a three-match series starting in Christchurch on Thursday.

Sri Lanka have experienced a resurgence since former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya took charge as coach, a move that has earned praise from de Silva, his former World Cup-winning teammate.

“I’m happy that the last two series have gone very positive, and a lot of credit for that should go to Sanath for getting the team together and putting in his efforts. He’s done a remarkable job. What was really lacking was some part of discipline in the entire system, but credit to the entire coaching staff who have come together and worked in areas of the game that had to be turned around. The team are on the right path,” said de Silva, who played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup campaign.

Building confidence with better pitches

“Now that they have gained confidence, I hope they start playing on better wickets so that the players will get more confidence to go overseas and perform as well. I think it’s high time they gradually move on to playing on better wickets, rather than turners, so that they will be giving the team a better chance when they start touring overseas.

“Sometimes, it’s a few little things you need to put right within the team. The system has fallen into place, so now it’s a case of keeping the good work going. They will have some disastrous tours, but they must try to stay firm, learn from the mistakes, and keep working to improve.”

Upcoming Tests

Sri Lanka will face their first big test against fifth-placed South Africa, with the series beginning in Durban on Wednesday. The second and final Test will take place at Gqeberha from December 5-9. The Dhananjaya de Silva-led team will also face Australia in two home Tests in February. If they manage to win all four Tests, they are certain to secure a place in the final at Lord’s, scheduled from June 11 to 15 next year, with June 16 as a reserve day if necessary.

Sri Lanka, who won the 50-over World Cup under Arjuna Ranatunga in 1996 and the Twenty20 World Cup in 2014, have faced challenges in recent years. They have struggled in recent global tournaments, losing in the qualifiers in Australia and failing to advance beyond the first round in the West Indies and USA. In the recent 50-over World Cup, they failed to reach the Super Eight stage, despite playing in familiar conditions in India.

However, de Silva remains optimistic, believing that a turnaround is imminent. He has identified Pathum Nissanka as a key player in restoring Sri Lanka to their former glory.

“He is a top player, and if he stays focused and keeps going, he will turn out to be one of the best players we have produced,” Aravinda said. On winning the World Cup, he added: “I am confident it will happen very soon. With the kind of team and the talent we have, I can’t see it being that far away. So it’s a case of keeping the momentum going.”