Sri Lanka's Test captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, has expressed his regret that his team missed a significant opportunity to play in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. As the new WTC cycle commences, De Silva is rallying his team to draw inspiration from South Africa's recent WTC final victory and set their sights on a strong showing in the next campaign.
Sri Lanka had a realistic chance of qualifying for the WTC final. Their path was clear: they needed to win three of their remaining four Tests. Two of these matches were to be played at home against Australia, while the other two were away challenges against South Africa. However, the team fell short, losing all four matches and finishing a disappointing sixth in the standings.
De Silva, who is leading Sri Lanka from the start of this WTC cycle, is determined to leave no stone unturned in their quest for success. "We had a big chance to get to [the] final, but unfortunately, we couldn't do it," De Silva said. He shared that he had reminded his teammates of the opportunities they had missed and where they could have been.
Looking ahead, De Silva emphasized the importance of winning home series in the new cycle. "As we start a new cycle, we know we have to win our home series. We need to pick up all those points," he stated. He sees the upcoming home series against Bangladesh as a great opportunity to start the new cycle on a positive note. The first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, marking the beginning of their WTC 2025-27 campaign, will be held in Galle.
The new WTC cycle presents significant challenges for Sri Lanka. Dimuth Karunaratne has retired, and Angelo Mathews will retire from the format after the first Test against Bangladesh. Despite these setbacks, De Silva remains focused on winning as many of the 12 scheduled Tests as possible. Sri Lanka's squad will feature several uncapped players against Bangladesh, selected based on their strong performances in domestic cricket.
De Silva acknowledged the need to adapt to the limited opportunities, as Sri Lanka is scheduled to play only a few Test matches in the current cycle. "Our job as professionals is to adapt to any situation. We have to play the situations we're given - we can't blame anyone," he said, recognizing that the number of Tests they play is beyond their control.
Angelo Mathews also expressed his disappointment with Sri Lanka's limited Test schedule, noting that teams like England, India, and Australia play significantly more Tests. He emphasized the importance of Test cricket for younger players and urged for more opportunities for Sri Lanka to compete.
Despite the challenges, De Silva is optimistic about the future. He highlighted the team's good preparation through the National Super League, Sri Lanka's premier first-class tournament, and expressed confidence in the young players who have been identified. By focusing on winning home series and adapting to the conditions, De Silva hopes to guide Sri Lanka to a successful WTC campaign and avoid missing out on another final.
