Sri Lanka keep the faith, qualify despite glitch

Just when you were starting to think Sri Lanka didn't deserve to play the T20 World Cup qualifiers (ICC is calling it the first round but let's be forthright) because they had just won the Asia Cup, Namibia handed them another reality check in the form of a 55-run defeat. All's well now though after Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands by 16 runs on Thursday to enter the Super 12 as Group A toppers. India will play Pakistan and Sri Lanka again, in a rerun of the Asia Cup. But the question lingers: What do you make of this Sri Lanka side?

Winning an Asia Cup beating India and Pakistan is no mean feat but they also slip up against Namibia. At the start of this year, Sri Lanka had lost nine out of their first 10 T20Is but they fancied chasing 175 against Afghanistan and India's 173 after losing their Asia Cup opener to Afghanistan. Despite the losses and incessant changing, Sri Lanka have a better record than India and Pakistan in multi-team tournaments, making them the Asian side to beat this World Cup. They can be a feisty bowling side but are essentially a more dogged batting unit that believes no target is beyond them. Let's also not forget the pedigree. Sri Lanka have played three ODI World Cup finals, winning one, and the semi-finals in 2003; along with three World T20 finals.

When you put everything in context, Namibia were probably deserving winners that day because they batted better than Sri Lanka. Kusal Mendis certainly thinks so. "In the first game I didn't know how to play on the pitch because it was really slow," he said after getting the Man of the Match award for his 44-ball 79 against the Netherlands. "After the first match, I know how to play here. It's a slow wicket, so I take the time, and the first six overs I play the normal game."

And you can never prepare well for matches against lesser-known opponents. "We knew what exactly was coming," Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka had said before the Netherlands game. "Rather than playing the well-known countries, some are different playing against these nations because we don't know what really comes at us. Normally when we play against the Test-playing nations, we know the bowlers and the combinations they play. But they just have some advantages, as well, when we play in these kinds of rounds."

Nevertheless, the loss did trigger some nerves and a whole lot of net run rate calculations before Sri Lanka steamrolled UAE by 79 runs. "We're always looking at things obviously like the run rate and everything else and all the technicalities that go with the game," Chris Silverwood, Sri Lanka's head coach, had said after their win against UAE. "But I think the most important thing was that we turned up and made an impact. First and foremost, we won the game. And then obviously looked to do it in style as well, which the guys have done tonight. And obviously, it's helped us massively."

The Netherlands were tough as nails too, scoring 31 runs in the 18th and 19th overs before Lahiru Kumara finally stalled their last batting pair in the 20th over. These kinds of situational wins go a long way in preparing for a tougher phase. Sri Lanka couldn't have it harder in the qualifiers, and they don't exactly mind that. "I think we have played a lot of Asian countries," said Mendis on Thursday. "I think it's good for the game to get a second look. We have played Bangladesh and India so many times. I think we are playing a good series (here)."

As much as any top side would want to learn from a qualifying phase like this, a defeat in that process can be counterproductive. Sri Lanka can't be too bothered about it though. They go into the Super 12 with the experience of playing and winning a string of matches in Australia, not warm-up games. That can never be ignored. It's been that kind of a year where cricket has provided the only relief to a country in turmoil. Sri Lanka have won the Asia Cup. They have now qualified for the T20 World Cup Super-12. To go on to win the actual thing from here? Now that would be something.