Rathour stresses on 'self-belief' as Sri Lanka gear up for Super Eight

Following a string of dominant performances, Sri Lanka's batting coach Vikram Rathour has hailed the team's clinical approach, dismissing concerns over past form and seeking instead to emphasise a culture of "self-belief" going into the Super Eight stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Reflecting on the team's recent trajectory, Rathour said the coaching staff had not panicked, even during tougher periods like the England series, which Sri Lanka lost 3-0.

"As far as sorting out the issues, I don't think there were any issues anyway," Rathour said ahead of Sri Lanka's final group game against Zimbabwe. "As a team you have some good games, you won't have good games on some days. As long as you are focused on the areas that you need to work on. I was not really too concerned with the results in the England series. Nothing really has changed [since then]. We are still preparing the way we were."

Central to Sri Lanka's recent success has been the form of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. Nissanka had not made substantial scores for five games before unleashing mayhem against Australia, while Mendis scored three consecutive fifties to start the tournament.

"Yeah, very impressive," Rathour said of Sri Lanka's recent batting performances. "We played, I think, almost the perfect batting innings. Pathum played one of the better T20 knocks that you'll see. And Kusal has been very consistent, and he's been doing that for us again and again. Again Pawan [Rathnayake] was really good [too]. So everything went to plan."

On Rathnayake, who has made blazing start to his T20I career, including rapid scores of 60 and 28 not out in his last two games, Rathour said that his coaching intervention was less about technique and more about mindset. "My input has been pretty simple. He's a terrific player against spin. He uses his feet really well, he can play the angles and that's what he's doing. One honest conversation with him was about intent, keep the intent going, even when he's playing fast bowlers.

"If you get a ball which should be hit, you need to hit that ball, whether it's the first ball of the innings or whether it's the tenth ball of the innings. I think he has taken that on board."

In a more philosophical take on the pressures of international cricket, Rathour distinguished between temporary form and innate quality. "I don't believe in confidence actually because confidence goes with the results," he explained. "I think as players or as a team you need to have self-belief or self-esteem which is more important. Even if Pathum scores two zeroes, he's still a terrific player. That fact does not change."

This philosophy extends to the wider squad, including Kamil Mishara, who is currently vying for a spot with veteran Kusal Perera. "[Mishara] is a quality player, but there were a few games now that sometimes the form comes into question, and KJP also is I think a quality player who can play a very impactful knock. So just wanted to see where he stands, and what he can bring to the table.

"We played him one game and one failure doesn't change anything. We'll be looking to give him more opportunities and we are hoping that he comes good."

With the action moving from Pallekele to Khettarama, batting is expected to become tougher, but Rathour was not worried. "I've read a great line, somebody has said, that these are not tough conditions, these are just different conditions. If you start thinking tough conditions, then you start going into a negative space of mind. We have enough skill in our batting unit to adapt to this."