Sri Lanka Ready to Begin New ODI Era Under Kusal Mendis and Gary Kirsten

Sri Lanka assistant coach Ryan van Niekerk says the team is eager to implement its plans when it faces the West Indies cricket team in the opening match of a three-match ODI series at Sabina Park today.

The match marks the first One Day International for Sri Lanka under newly appointed captain Kusal Mendis and head coach Gary Kirsten, signalling the start of a new chapter for the national team.

Speaking ahead of the series opener, van Niekerk said the team’s primary objective is to secure victory while establishing its new approach to ODI cricket.

“We’ve come up with a plan and a clear way that we want to play our ODI cricket as a group. Putting that into practice on this tour is a major focus for us,” he said.

The assistant coach noted that preparations have gone smoothly, with the squad arriving in the Caribbean early enough to adjust to local conditions and overcome the significant time difference.

“Sometimes you arrive in the West Indies without enough time for warm-up matches or proper acclimatisation. We’ve had two productive training sessions at Sabina Park, and the warm-up match helped reinforce our plans and processes,” he added.

Sri Lanka enjoyed an emphatic win in their warm-up fixture against a Jamaica Select XI, posting 335/7 before dismissing their opponents for just 108.

Among the standout performers were Charith Asalanka, who scored 61 before retiring out, Kamindu Mendis with 65 retired out, and Janith Liyanage, who contributed 60 runs. With the ball, Dushmantha Chameera claimed 3 wickets for 8 runs, while Dunith Wellalage took 3 for 10.

Van Niekerk also praised the intensity shown by the players during the warm-up encounter.

“Warm-up games can sometimes lack intensity, but the commitment and energy shown by the players really stood out. We’ve established some strong processes and are looking forward to putting them into action,” he said.

Sri Lanka will now turn its attention to the ODI series opener against the West Indies, with considerable interest surrounding the team’s first competitive outing under the leadership of Mendis and Kirsten.