Sri Lanka seek tangible progress after signs of promise

In a nutshell:

Sri Lanka arrive at the T20 World Cup on the back of five straight wins, albeit on the slower surfaces of Bangladesh and the Caribbean. Their limited experience in SENA conditions - just three matches in New Zealand in this two-year cycle - makes them one of the tournament's trickier sides to assess. A youthful squad, without veteran spinner Inoka Ranaweera, adds another layer of intrigue as they look to break new ground in a competition where they have never progressed beyond the group stage.

Squad: Chamari Athapaththu(c), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunarathne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunarathne, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Malki Madara, Mithali Ayodhya, Chethana Vimukthi

Best XI: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera(w), Imesha Dulani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hansima Karunaratne, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Kaushani Nuthyangana(wk), Sugandika Kumari, Mithali Ayodhya, Malki Madara

Players to keep an eye on:

Malki Madara: The 25-year-old right-arm pacer made her debut in Christchurch in March last year and immediately impressed with a three-wicket haul. She was also among the wickets on the tour of Caribbean earlier this year and will be key with the ball in English conditions.

Harshitha Samarawickrama: The 27-year-old, who was famously the Player of the Match in that Asia Cup final victory over India a few years ago, comes into this tournament on the back of solid runs in her last three T20Is. And she will be a crucial cog in that middle-order wheel, especially if Sri Lanka find themselves in any early trouble in conditions where the new ball can do a bit.

What's in the news: There's been a late change to Sri Lanka's squad, with 17-year-old ambidextrous wristspinner Shashini Gimhani ruled out due to a lower-back injury. Uncapped seamer Chethana Vimukthi was drafted in as her replacement, adding another pace option to the squad ahead of their opening game against England.

Where they finished in 2024: Sri Lanka ended their campaign at the bottom of a challenging group that featured Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan, failing to secure a win in any of their four fixtures.

How have they performed since then:In this World Cup cycle, Sri Lanka won six of 14 matches, with two washouts.

The big game: How they fare against the West Indies, often boom or bust, could eventually have a say in deciding the top-two semifinalists from the group, and will be one match to keep an eye on.

A record in sight:Chamari Athapaththu needs 248 runs to get to 4000 T20I runs and become only the fourth women's player to the landmark

Realistic expectation:After a winless campaign at the last World Cup, Sri Lanka will be eager to put a few victories on the board this time while giving their next generation valuable exposure on the big stage.

League stage schedule: