Consistency is our strength - Dilshan

Tillakaratne Dilshan, who will be playing his second World Cup, has said he is looking forward to playing a huge role as opener and help Sri Lanka win another world title. Dilshan made his tournament debut in 2007 but managed just one half-century, scoring 217 runs in nine innings.

"Everything is going well at the moment for us and we are looking forward to the World Cup," Dilshan said. "Whenever I get a chance I want to get a start and capitalize on that and get big runs. I am going to give 100% for the team and am looking forward to the games."

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga had said that Sri Lanka's middle order was a concern ahead of the World Cup but Dilshan felt the middle order was coming through very well. "We are getting guys like Angelo [Mathews] coming through in the last year or so. Chamara [Kapugedera], Chamara Silva and Thilan [Samaraweera) are there too. At the moment everything is falling in line for us and we are looking forward to the tournament."

Dilshan, who started his international career in the middle order, felt his move up the order had transformed his career. "I batted at No. 7 from 1999 to 2008. I felt I could do more at the top of the order and I volunteered to open. I had a chat with Mahela [Jayawardene] and he said, 'okay you first play in the domestic season and let's see'. I got the Man of the Series in the domestic tournament and from there my game totally changed. The last two or three years have been my best in both Test and one-day cricket," Dilshan said.

Dilshan said that Sri Lanka's consistency in the ODI format leading up to the World Cup, would hold them in good stead for the tournament."If you take the last 15 months, we have played 27 ODIs and lost only six. Now, that's quite a good record. We are very consistent and it's a very good sign as well."

Dilshan, one of Sri Lanka's best fielders, said fielding would play a key role in the tournament. "We've had good fielding sides right throughout. We are doing a lot of practice with our fielding coach Ruwan Kalpage. We are training in some new fielding methods and the results can be seen in how we have done in the last couple of matches."

Sri Lanka play two warm-up games against Netherlands and West Indies. They open their World Cup campaign against Canada in Hambantota on February 20.