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Sri Lanka aim for top spot

23 January 2007

Sri Lanka have set their sights on lifting the World Cup this year and toppling all-conquering Australia in both forms of the game.

Sri Lanka have impressed in one-day cricket over the past 12 months, reaching the final of the VB Series involving South Africa and Australia before beating England 5-0 away from home.

Interim Committee chairman, Jayantha Darsmadas, said: “We want to be the number one team in one-day internationals as well as in Test cricket. When we look at the team's performances, there are clear indications that they could dominate the scene during this year.”

Sri Lanka face India in an upcoming one-day series, which gets underway in Poona on February 8, before the World Cup which starts in the West Indies on March 3.

Tom Moody’s side have been drawn in Group B alongside Bermuda, Bangladesh and India and will open their campaign on March 4 in Port of Spain.

“Sri Lanka will have a busy international schedule beginning with the ICC World Cup in the Caribbean in March and April. A South Africa team is due to tour here in June,” added Darsmadas.

Tom Moody will coach New Zealand during their World Cup campaign © Getty Images

“We certainly have great hopes of winning the World Cup and all our planning and application have been directed towards it. I hope we can win it.

“We had a fear of going out and winning in the past but if you take the national team’s recent performances that no longer happens.

“We have been working throughout last year and the team is now beginning to believe in themselves.”

Darsmadas is aware of the impact made by coach Moody and is confident the former Australia international will agree an extension to his current contract, which is set to expire in May.

Moody has been in charge of the Sri Lankan national side for just over a year, but is believed to be in the running to replace Australia coach John Buchanan after the World Cup.

“I had a chat with Tom before he left for New Zealand and there were no indications whatsoever that he would be leaving.”