By Chanaka Perera
Sri Lanka will be keen to consolidate their strong start to the tournament when they take on Hong Kong at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday. The islanders opened their campaign in style with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh on Saturday, a result that has given them early momentum and confidence.
For Sri Lanka, the clash against Hong Kong represents an opportunity to strengthen their position in the group while fine-tuning their combinations. But batting coach Thilina Kandamby insisted the team would not underestimate their opponents, stressing that Twenty20 cricket leaves little room for complacency.
“The dressing room has a good atmosphere, but we won’t take any chances against any team because in this version of the game every team is tough to beat. We will play our full-strength side against Hong Kong,” Kandamby said on the eve of the match.
Sri Lanka will also be returning to familiar territory. Dubai was the stage where they lifted the 2022 Asia Cup, and the venue holds fond memories for the side. The coaching staff hopes the ground will once again bring out the best in their players as they look to build consistency.
One of Sri Lanka’s major strengths is their spin department. With Wanindu Hasaranga spearheading the attack, supported by Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage, Kandamby believes spin will continue to play a decisive role.
“It’s always a plus point to have a world-class spinner like Wanindu in our side. We also have Theekshana and Wellalage. It depends on the conditions whether we are going to play an additional spinner, but overall the plan we’ve had has been executed really well,” he explained.
Kandamby also underlined that Sri Lanka’s experience gives them an edge, but warned that upsets are never too far away in T20 cricket. “When you come to this version you can’t take any chances. Anybody can play well on their day and win a game. We’re not taking any risks – we’ll go one match at a time and play our best team,” he said.
The coach revealed that Dasun Shanaka was promoted up the order against Bangladesh in order to improve the team’s net run rate, a factor that could prove decisive in tournament standings. He also highlighted the emergence of young opener Kamil Mishara, describing him as “the find from the Zimbabwe tour,” where Sri Lanka tested several combinations with the Asia Cup in mind.
On batting collapses, an issue that has haunted Sri Lanka in the past, Kandamby insisted the team has already worked on solutions. “We addressed that issue maybe six or seven months back. I’m not bothered if we get bowled out for 80 or 90. It’s about keeping momentum. If you end up with 170 or 180 you can easily win a game. The boys now understand how to adjust to conditions,” he said.
Sri Lanka are likely to continue with their preferred 7–4 combination, balancing seven batters with four frontline bowlers, though Kandamby did not rule out changes depending on opposition and conditions. The presence of versatile all-rounders like Chamika Karunaratne gives them further flexibility.
With the camp described as “happy” and the team determined to build on its winning start, Sri Lanka will look for a professional performance against Hong Kong and another step closer to the knock-out stages.
