SL great Chaminda Vaas confident India's pace attack will shine in World Cup; Rangana Herath backs KulCha
Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath (left) and Chaminda Vaas at the Police Gymkhana as chief guests for a T20 event. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Sri Lankan stalwarts - speedster Chaminda Vaas and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who have claimed 1262 international wickets together (Tests and ODIs), - have rated India's bowling attack as "perfectly balanced" and expect Virat Kohli & Co to reach the semi-final stage of the World Cup starting in England on May 30.
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"India have been dominating the last two-three years. They have good back-up fast bowlers and will do wonders. The Indian team is very balanced. My prediction is, India will definitely reach the semis," Vaas, 45, during Day One of the eighth Mitsui Shoji T20 League at Police Gymkhana yesterday.
Vaas and Herath, who were the chief guests for the opening match, will be coaching youngsters in the city for the next few days. Herath considered the role of spinners as important as the pacers during the 50 overs tournament in England. He expects wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav to come up with something special.
"You may give away extra runs, but you need wicket-taking options. That's why they [Indian selectors] picked the right-arm leg-spinner and a chinaman bowler. They have been playing well, especially Chahal and Kuldeep. I am sure they will do well in English conditions," said left-arm spinner Herath, 41.
Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners, have not enjoyed a good build-up to the mega event. The selectors sacked Lasith Malinga as captain and handed the leadership responsibility to Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.
Vaas, who picked up 400 ODI wickets, felt Malinga will still be a key player for his team during the World Cup. "There is no doubt that he [Malinga] is one of the best in the world and the best in Sri Lanka. "We depend on him as a bowler and he showed some leadership qualities. He has given 100 per cent for the team and we have seen him playing in Mumbai [IPL for Mumbai Indians] and playing in Sri Lanka the next day. It shows the commitment he has and the commitment he has given to the team and country."
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