Sri Lanka look to Fernando for World Cup hopes

Sri Lanka will rely on the experience of Hiruka Dilanthi Fernando to spearhead their World Cup campaign in South Africa. The 28-year-old Fernando, who bats at three, will take part in her third World Cup and her senior presence amongst a young side will be key.

"The two previous World Cup squads had players with plenty of experience, but this is a fairly young side," Fernando told BBC Sport as the Sri Lanka women's squad was announced. "But unlike those earlier occasions, we've been playing a lot of games together ahead of the competition and that's vital. The instructions that I receive are pretty clear. The team wants me to bat through the innings. Sometime back, I preferred to be aggressive, but with a lot of inexperienced players around I need to be a bit more disciplined and patient."

Each of the eight teams will face one another in the first round, and Sri Lanka have a tough opener against a mercurial India on March 22. Fernando identified four teams who could pose a threat. "The games against Australia and New Zealand will be extremely tough," she said. "The Indians, too, have a formidable side, and England. We need to make sure to knock off the weaker teams and if we can raise our standards at the right time, then a semi-final berth is quite possible."

Sri Lanka have won only three matches in their last two World Cups, but they went into those tournaments with few warm-up matches.This time, however, the Sri Lankans are thoroughly prepared, having faced Australia, India and West Indies ahead of the 2005 cup. However, they have never played in South Africa before, a factor which could count against them. Nevertheless Fernando remained upbeat, saying: "There's nothing to lose for us and we'll go there with a positive frame of mind."

Squad
Sandamali Dolawatte (capt), Hiruka Fernando, Inoka Galagedara, Thilaka Gunaratne, Eshani Kaushalya, Jereleen Michal, Dedunu de Silva, Praba Udawatte, Shashikala Siriwardene, Shuvini de Alwis, Janakanthi Mala, Sharmila Polgampola, Sripali Weerakkody, Thanuja Ekanayake (wk)