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World Cup preview: Sri Lanka

An in-depth look at the World Cup contenders ahead of the showpiece quadrennial event

The squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal

Who they are missing: There was no room for former captain Dinesh Chandimal, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and spinner Akila Dananjaya, along with openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Upal Tharanga. 

Form line (most recent first): ALLLLLLLLW

The 2015 result: Quarter-final

Best finish: Winner (1996)

Image Id: EDADC14DC54D441BAD248F1CD4EDA411 Image Caption: Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha celebrate the 1996 triumph // Getty Images

The big question: Can Sri Lanka reverse their terrible 2019 record? The 1996 champions have not won an ODI this year, a stretch of nine games that features eight-straight losses and a washout against Scotland last week. The barren run forced Sri Lanka's selectors to dump veteran speedster Lasith Malinga as captain and install Dimuth Karunaratne, who hasn't played an ODI in more than four years, as skipper. 

From The Vault: Vaas destroys Aussies

Player to watch: Without the burden of captaincy in his 50-over World Cup swansong, keep your eyes on Malinga. He enters the tournament fit and with plenty of cricket under his belt having spearheaded Mumbai Indians' Indian Premier League campaign, holding his nerve in the final against Chennai to bring home the silverware. Malinga has 43 wickets in 22 World Cup matches and will go down in history as the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in ODI cricket when he sparked an epic collapse against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean that was a whisker away of causing a dramatic victory. The 35-year-old revealed in March he will retire from international cricket after next year's T20 World Cup in Australia but don't be shocked to see some more Malinga magic in the UK.  

Malinga sizzles with first-over wicket

Don't be surprised if: Veteran paceman Suranga Lakmal finishes the tournament near the top of the wicket-takers list. While there has been plenty of talk about how spin could play a major part in this edition of the World Cup, the 2019 edition is being staged in the UK after all where conditions have traditionally aided swing bowling. And a quality swing bowler is Lakmal. The wiry right-armer can shape the ball through the air with the best of them and is set to be a handful with the new ball. 

World Cup numbers

Team record: Matches: 73 | Won: 35 | Lost: 35 | Tied: 1 | NR: 2

Highest total: 5-398 v Kenya, Kandy 1996

Lowest total: 86 v West Indies, Manchester 1975

Most runs: Legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara is comfortably Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in World Cups, with 1532 runs at 56.74 and five centuries. Four of Sangakkara's five tons came in consecutive innings in the 2015 tournament. 

Most wickets: Spin wizard Muthiah Muralidaran is Sri Lanka's most successful World Cup bowler with 68 wickets at an average of 19.63 in 40 matches. Muralidaran's haul is the second-most in World Cups behind Australian quick Glenn McGrath's 71. 

Most dismissals: Sangakkara tops this category with 54 dismissals, comprised of 41 catches and 13 stumpings. 

The fixtures

June 1 v New Zealand, Cardiff, 7.30pm AEST

June 4 v Afghanistan, Cardiff, 7.30pm AEST

June 7 v Pakistan, Bristol, 7.30pm AEST

June 11 v Bangladesh, Bristol, 7.30pm AEST

June 15 v Australia, London, 7.30pm AEST

June 21 v England, Leeds, 7.30pm AEST

June 28 v South Africa, Durham, 7.30pm AEST

July 1 v West Indies, 7.30pm AEST

July 6 v India, Leeds, 7.30pm AEST