Sri Lanka Team

The Sri Lankan Cricket Team is rated among strongest and most challenging sides in the world. Though a relatively new entrant to international cricket, Sri Lanka today has the potential to upset any international side. They surprised the cricketing world in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996, when they defeated the in the final Sri Lanka has produced several famous cricketers such as Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan. In 2003 Sri Lanka entered into semis and in 2007 entered into finals. The 38-year-old spinner, already the most prolific wickettaker in test and limited-overs international cricket, plans to retire after the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India and being staged in Asia for the first time since Sri Lanka's upset victory 15 years ago. Muralitharan could end up being the leading wicket taker in World Cups, too. Going into his fifth tournament, he already has 53 wickets in 31 World Cup matches - which puts him third on the list - and needs 19 to surpass Australia's Glenn McGrath in No. 1 spot. With Muralitharan still capable of extracting increadible spin, and with a strong batting lineup to back him, it's little wonder most locals consider this Sri Lanka's best chance to win the World Cup for the second time. Sangakkara's squad includes seven specialist batsmen with the likes of former captain Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera.Muralitharan leads the spin bowlers, supported by Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath, who will be playing his first World Cup despite representing Sri Lanka for 12 years. Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara and Dilhara Fernando are specialist seamers supported by allrounders Anjelo Mathews and Thisara Perera. Sri Lanka's senior batsmen, Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Dilshan have combined for more than 800 one-day international caps. Among the bowlers, Muralitharan alone has more than 340 caps with Fernando having played 140 ODIs.