The opening combination for any team will be the most important in the ICC World T20 2016 as it will be imperative to make use of the hard new ball and the field restrictions in the first six overs before the spinners come in and put on the choke. The Sri Lankans have gone in for a new comer in the opening position along with the experience of a veteran. Let us see how these two will combine and what impact they are likely to have on the WT20 2016 in India starting next month.
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan might be on his last legs but he still retains all of his class and flair. He is a destructive batsman who loves to make a bit of room, free his arms and trash the ball through the cover region. Strong on the cut and pull he is not one to shy away from a battle and loves to takes the bowler on as he showed in the 2015 World Cup when he slammed 6 fours in an over off the fearsome Mitchell Johnson. He is also known for his innovation and daredevilry, the famed ‘Dilscoop’, named after him!
Dilshan loves the big stage and he was the Man of the Series in the 2009 edition of the WT20 and has been a high impact player for the Lankans in all formats for more than a decade now. He did not fare well in the 2 T20I’s that he played against India recently, Ashwin had his number on both the occasions but he is a true champion and will be a big threat to every team that comes up against Sri Lanka. The fact that he can bowl canny off-spin and is still the best fielder in the side says a lot about his fitness and agility.
Impact Rating – 8/10
Niroshan Dickwella
Dickwella is an aggressive left handed wicket-keeper batsman who made his T20I debut against India recently. Although he made just 5 runs in the two matches but one could see that he had an aggressive streak about him. He charged Ashwin and got a single off the very first ball that he faced in the 2nd T20I and then charged again off the second but was stumped as he missed the ball by miles. The fact that he had the confidence to use his feet against the main threat that India possessed showed that that he at least had the guts to take a champion bowler on and not get dictated.
He was selected on the back of his tremendous performances in the recently concluded Super T20 Provincial Tournament back in Sri Lanka where he trashed 3 fifties in just 6 innings to score 179 runs at a monstrous strike rate of almost 175 runs per hundred balls. If he can find his range and get into his groove then he can form a very potent partnership with Dilshan.
Impact Rating – 6.5/10
The Lankans might be missing their regular wicket-keeper opening batsman Kusal Janith Perera, but they do have Dickwella, who might still be raw but can be a lethal weapon if he can get some confidence under his belt early on and with the experienced Dilshan to guide him from the other end.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
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