Sri Lanka can spring a few surprises in the Nidahas Trophy: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh will be battling it out in the tri-nation series in the Lankan Islands in a quest to claim the Nidahas Trophy 2018 title starting March 6. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has invited the two neighbouring nations to play the triangular series on the historic occasion of Sri Lanka’s 70th year of independence. Considering the present form of the all the three teams, the visiting Indian team will be favourites to win the series. Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar still feels that the hosts could unleash a few surprises in the series.

Sri Lanka is a cricket loving country

Though Sri Lanka have been in sort of crisis of late they’ve been able to put up some quality performances. The team won the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh, beat the hosts 1-0 in the Test series and took the T20I series 2-0. That confidence will take them a long way in the upcoming series as well where they will be playing at home.

“Currently Sri Lanka are going through a mild crisis. It is a team that’s looking like minnows now. That there are currently around 23 teams at the domestic level playing inter-provincial cricket in such a small country is not helping matters either. I guess one still has to place trust in the fact that it is a country that loves cricket, may be not as passionately or single-mindedly as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, but cricket is still a very popular sport there. Icons like Sangakkara and Jayawardene and Murali will inspire young kids to take up cricket and excel at it,” wrote Manjrekar in his column for TOI.

T20 format gives a chance to the weaker oppositions

The former Indian cricketer expects the host to bridge in a few surprises which might prove challenging for the Indian team. He also wrote that the shortest format provides the weaker teams an equal chance against the best sides in the business.

“A smaller format gives a greater chance for a weaker team to challenge even the best in business _ the Nidahas Trophy is one such opportunity. Expect Sri Lanka to spring a few surprises in this T20 triangular,” drafted the former Indian cricketer in his piece.