Mahela Jayawardene (capt)
Age: 29
Right-hand bat, right-arm medium-pace bowler
Average: 31.71
Strike rate: 75.41
Appointed captain in February 2006, Jayawardene is widely credited
for helping turnaround Sri Lanka's fortunes in partnership with
coach Tom Moody. Proved an innovative and astute strategist with an
aggressive style of leadership. Was named ICC Captain of the Year
in 2006. Will bat at number three on good batting pitches to help
the top order exploit Power Plays. Drops down to five on
bowler-friendly surfaces. Sri Lanka's best slip fielder. Mixed form
leading into tournament. World Cup record in 1999 and 2003 is poor
with just 123 runs at 11.18.
Russel Arnold
Age: 33
Left-hand bat, right-arm off-break bowler
Average: 35.48
Strike rate: 72.31
Economy rate: 4.84
Has been in and out of the ODI team since a lean period in 2002/3.
Reclaimed his place in the squad just before the World Cup after a
high-scoring tour to West Indies with the Sri Lanka A team.
Respected for his ability to perform under pressure and picked to
increase the experience in the middle order. Hard-working batsman
who rotates the strike and runs well between the wickets. Also
bowls tidy off breaks and is a sharp fielder.
Marvan Atapattu
Age: 36
Right-hand batsman
Average: 37.57
Strike rate: 67.72
Vastly experienced top order batsman and former captain who will
bat at number five. Expected to pick up the pieces if the team's
pinch-hitting strategy in the Power Plays backfires. Can also bat
at number three on seaming pitches. Returned to the Sri Lanka team
in October 2006 after surgery on his back. Classical high-elbowed
technique. Adept at working the ball around for singles and two.
Fine player of spin. Expected to retire after the World Cup.
Malinga Bandara
Age: 27
Right-arm leg-break bowler
Economy rate: 4.82
Bandara has lived in the shadow of Muttiah Muralitharan since
claiming a place in the squad in November 2004. The team's second
spinner but is unlikely to play unless Muralitharan is injured or
the pitch is expected to offer extravagant turn. Bowls relatively
quick leg breaks with a hint of indrift. Accurate with subtle
variations. Competitive character and dependable under pressure.
Good outfielder and useful lower order batsman.
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Age: 30
Right-hand batsman, right-arm off break bowler, wicketkeeper
Average: 29.05
Strike rate: 77.65
Economy rate: 4.79
Sri Lanka's utility player - middle order batsman, useful
off-spinner, electric point fieldsman and reserve wicket-keeper.
Faces stiff competition for a place in the middle order. Had been a
regular but was dropped from the ODI team in December 2006.
Aggressive batsmen with moderate overall record. Showed good form
leading into tournament. Sri Lanka's best fielder. Often bowls full
quota of overs on slow, turning tracks.
Dilhara Fernando
Age: 27
Right-arm fast bowler
Economy rate: 5.30
Fernando adds a cutting edge to the Sri Lanka attack when on song
and is picked as a wicket-taking option. Bowls with genuine pace
and hits the seam. Also possesses a dangerous slower ball. Has been
plagued by injuries, especially to the back. Reclaimed full fitness
in 2006. Can be expensive and has a no-ball problem that flares up
when he loses rhythm.
Sanath Jayasuriya
Age: 37
Left-hand batsman, left-arm orthodox bowler
Average: 32.87
Strike rate: 90.46
Economy rate: 4.76
Jayasuriya is Sri Lanka's most experienced player. Playing his
fifth World Cup. Famous for his pinch-hitting exploits in the 1996
World Cup. Remains an explosive opening batsman capable of
destroying the best attacks in the world. Comes into the tournament
after a high-scoring year in 2006. Plays as a genuine all rounder
in the team with his left-arm spin often relied upon in the closing
stages of tight matches.
Nuwan Kulasekera
Age: 24
Right-arm medium-fast bowler
Economy rate: 4.48
Won the last fast bowling position in the 15-man squad.
Inexperienced at the international level, but picked because of his
all-round skills. Lively medium-pacer with the ability to bowl
accurate spells. Athletic fielder and useful lower order
batsman.
Lasith Malinga
Age: 23
Right-arm fast bowler
Economy rate: 4.78
Malinga is employed as a strike bowler in the middle and latter
stages of the innings. Usually only bowls a short burst with the
new ball. Has genuine pace and bowls with an unusual round-arm
action that is capable of producing deadly reverse-swinging
yorkers. Was previously considered a test specialist but cemented a
place in the ODI side in mid-2006.
Farveez Maharoof
Age: 22
Right-arm medium-fast bowler, right-hand batsman
Average: 19.44
Strike rate: 82.33
Economy rate: 4.80
Maharoof has been groomed for two years to be Sri Lanka's linchpin
fast-bowling all-rounder. A former Sri Lanka under-19 captain, he
has slowly developed into a seam bowler who claims useful wickets
and handy batsman capable of utilising the slog overs.
Muttiah Muralitharan
Age: 34
Right-arm off-break bowler
Economy rate: 3.83
Sri Lanka's chief bowling weapon since 1993. Divides world opinion
with his unusual bowling action that generates prolific spin from a
super-flexible wrist and permanently bent arm. Bowls off breaks,
top spinners and a doosra, the disguised leg break. Very successful
and consistent record. Used sparingly over multiple spells to
maximise his wicket-taking potential. Incredible career economy
rate of 3.83. Genuine tailend slogger with the bat but increasing
liability in the field.
Kumar Sangakkara
Age: 29
Right-hand bat, wicketkeeper
Average: 36.26
Strike rate: 74.45
Sangakkara is a pivotal member of the team as number four batsman,
wicketkeeper and vice-captain. Shrewd thinker and good big match
temperament who was the world's highest ODI run scorer in 2006 with
1333 runs at 44.43. Has the responsibility for stabilising Sri
Lanka's middle order with match-winning innings. Started
international career as part-time wicket-keeper but developed into
a high accomplished glovesman.
Chamara Silva
Age: 27
Right-hand bat, occasional right-arm leg break bowler
Average: 27.60
Strike rate: 68.65
Made promising start on his debut at the age of 19 with 54 against
Australia but dropped from national team following the 2002 England
tour after failing to consolidate his place. Recalled to the side
he responded with an unbeaten 152 in the second test against New
Zealand last year and scored his maiden one-day international
century this year against India.
Upul Tharanga
Age: 22
Left-hand batsman
Average: 35.40
Strike rate: 74.88
Tharanga blossomed in 2006 with a string of impressive centuries in
New Zealand, England and India. Ended Sri Lanka's prolonged search
for a consistent alternative to Atapattu as Jayasuriya's opening
partner. Elegant strokeplayer with aggressive approach.
Particularly strong on the off-side, especially through the cover
region. Made his debut in 2005 just months after his family home
was washed away by the Asian tsunami.
Chaminda Vaas
Age: 33
Left-arm fast-medium bowler, useful tailend batsman
Economy rate: 4.20
Vaas is easily the leading fast bowler in Sri Lanka's 32 years of
ODI cricket. A supremely skilful left-arm swing bowler who was a
key part of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning team. Trademark
delivery is the late-swinging in-dipper. Also bowls a cutter that
nips away. Holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODIs,
8/19 against Zimbabwe in 2002. Has taken two hat-tricks in one-day
cricket.
Tom Moody
Age: 41
Coach
Moody, a former all-rounder who won two World Cups with Australia,
became Sri Lanka's head coach in mid-2005 after a stint as the
Director of Cricket at Worcestershire. Was contracted until the end
of May 2007. After a difficult start against India in 2005, he won
the respect of Sri Lanka's players and administrators for
successfully developing the team and the national coaching
structure. Retired from first-class cricket in 2001 after
struggling with lingering back troubles.
