Sri Lanka starts World Cup against improved Canada

Sri Lanka (AP):

Eight years after Sri Lanka bowled out Canada for just 36 runs, captain Kumar Sangakkara is preparing to face the North Americans again in what should be a very different World Cup game tomorrow.

Only six Canadians managed to score and none of them reached double figures during a 2003 group game in Paarl, South Africa, which has gone down in World Cup history for having the lowest number of runs on the board.

Sangakkara scored a boundary in the four balls he faced before Sri Lanka chased down the runs in just 4.4 overs.

Now playing in his third World Cup, Sangakkara expects his team will perform well against a Canada side which remains an outsider, but which nearly beat England in a warm-up game on Wednesday.

"It's all about us, how well we do," Sangakkara said. "How well we bat, bowl and field.

"If we do that, even not to our fullest potential but at least we touch the standards we know we can, we should be able to beat the opposition."

Initial plans to move one of Sri Lanka's warm-up matches to this southern town of Hambantota had to be deferred due to rains in the last week, but Sri Lanka still had two perfect build-ups at Colombo.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan and middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera both scored back-to-back half centuries in victories over Netherlands and West Indies. Sangakkara also led from the front against the Caribbeans last Tuesday with a top score of 71 in successful run chase of 282.

Experienced fast bowler Dilhara Fernando chipped in with four wickets in 156-run victory over the Dutchmen. Lasith Malinga - expected to spearhead the Sri Lankan bowling attack - and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath both took three wickets each in a four-wicket win over West Indies.

Though he was giving nothing away, Sangakkara had a fair idea of his playing XI against Canada.

"We are pretty settled on the 11, but we tried all 15 (in warm-up matches) so that all players get a chance to practise and didn't want players to feel miss out on the matches," Sangakkara said.

Silva not available

However, if Chamara Silva was part of Sangakkara's original plan, the middle-order batsman will not be available for tomorrow's game following the death of his elder sister.

Canada, who have won just one match in their three previous World Cup appearances, look better prepared this time around. Pakistan-born Rizwan Cheema hit 93 off 71 balls and Kurram Chohan scored 44 after their team fought back from 5-28, only to lose to England by 16 runs at Fatullah.

Captain Ashish Bagai, who has figured in the previous two World Cups, believes Muttiah Murali-tharan and Malinga could be the two tough bowlers for his team.

"Obviously, Lasith and Murali-tharan are the big threats, but if we can get through a couple of their bowlers we have a good chance," he said.

Bagai feels that playing at a new stadium in Hambantota will neutralise Sri Lanka's home advantage.

"It is a new venue, even they won't know what to expect. So it's going to be tough," Bagai said.