COLOMBO: When Sri Lanka clinched a shock 1996 World Cup triumph, Dunith Wellalage and Matheesha Pathirana were not even born, but the rising stars head to India determined to repeat the victory.
Both aged 20, fast bowler Pathirana and all-rounder Wellalage are undeterred by facing childhood heroes at the tournament that opens on October 5.
The island nation is still hurting from the drubbing by India in the Asia Cup final this month in which they were all out for just 50 runs.
But Wellalage is confident that with the preparations they have undergone, Sri Lanka can do well at the World Cup.
Wellalage produced his best performance in one-day internationals in the Asia Cup match against India in Colombo on September 12, taking 5 for 40 although India went on to win by 41 runs.
Still, Pathirana acknowledges he is yet to master his unique arm action and bowls more wides than he wants.
“The coaches don’t put pressure on me, they say that with my action, I will improve with age,” he said.
After playing for the Under-19s at the 2020 and 2022 World Cups, Pathirana was fast tracked by Sri Lanka Cricket.
“I got a break to play in the Abu Dhabi T10, after that I played in the IPL, and with the IPL experience I graduated into the Sri Lanka team,” he said.
Head coach Chris Silverwood called Pathirana a hard worker with a “big future”.
Others have high praise for Wellalage too.
“He is a real star in the making who can do special things”, said former India cricketer-turned-commentator Dinesh Karthik.
