Sri Lanka's white ball renaissance under Jayasuriya

Once giants of the white-ball game, Sri Lanka were dealt a harsh reality check when they failed to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy a bitter pill to swallow for a nation that once redefined the one-day format with audacity and flair.

- BY REX CLEMENTINE

Their ninth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup saw them miss the cut, triggering alarm bells across the island's cricketing corridors.

But from the rubble of that disappointment has emerged a rejuvenated side, rising phoenix-like under the stewardship of Sanath Jayasuriya. Since then, the Sri Lankans have roared back with a vengeance, toppling heavyweights India and Australia in bilateral ODI series, and clawing their way up the rankings to sit at No. 4 behind only Australia, India, and New Zealand.

Traditional powerhouses like Pakistan, England and South Africa are now trailing in their wake.