Ek baar phir World Test Championship (WTC) final ka darwaza khatkhata kar, haath mein kuch na aaya. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva ke shabd toh dil ko chhoo gaye jab unhone kaha ki unki team ne “badi opportunity” kho di. Socho, Lord’s ke uss shahi maidan par, jahan South Africa ne Australia ko hara kar WTC 2023-25 ka title jeeta, wahan Sri Lanka ke singhaasan par baithne ka mauka tha. Lekin, afsos! Do match South Africa ke khilaaf aur do ghar mein Australia ke khilaaf—sab haar gaye, aur woh bhi buri tarah se.
Kya Hua Tha Pichle Cycle Mein?
Sri Lanka ke liye WTC 2023-25 ek rollercoaster tha. Unke paas mauka tha final mein pahunchne ka, bas teen chaar match jeetne the. Lekin:
- South Africa ke Khilaaf: Do away Test match, dono mein shikast.
- Australia ke Khilaaf: Ghar mein do Test, aur dono mein dhul chati.
- Natija: WTC table mein chhatha sthaan, aur dil mein ek gehri si chubhan.
Yeh haar yaad dilati hai 2019 ke uss match ki jab Sri Lanka ne South Africa ko unke ghar mein 2-0 se hara diya tha. Tab Kusal Mendis aur Oshada Fernando ke shandaar performances ne duniya ko chakit kar diya tha. Lekin ab? Ab toh bas yaadein hain.
Naya Cycle, Nayi Umeed
Ab jab naya WTC 2025-27 cycle shuru ho raha hai, Sri Lanka ke paas ek naya mauka hai. Bangladesh ke khilaaf do Test match series Galle mein 17 June se shuru ho rahi hai. Yeh series na sirf nayi shuruaat hai, balki ek emotional farewell bhi—Angelo Mathews ka aakhri Test. Dhananjaya de Silva is baar koi kasar nahi chhodna chahte. Unhone apni team ko yaad dilaya ki woh Lord’s mein ho sakte the, aur ab ghar mein apni taakat dikhane ka waqt hai.
Sri Lanka ki Taiyari
Sri Lanka ne apni team mein naye khoon ko shamil kiya hai. Chhe uncapped players—Lahiru Udara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Tharindu Ratnayake, aur Isitha Wijesundara—National Super League ke shandaar performances ke baad squad mein hain. Yeh naye chehre uss purani team se alag hain jo 2014 mein Angelo Mathews ke netritva mein duniya bhar mein dhoom machayi thi. Tab Mathews ek all-rounder ke roop mein chhaye the, aur aaj unke jaane ka waqt hai.
Bangladesh ka Challenge
Bangladesh bhi kam nahi hai. Najmul Hossain Shanto ke netritva mein unhone Pakistan mein 2-0 se historic jeet haasil ki thi. Lekin Tamim Iqbal aur Shakib Al Hasan jaison ke bina, unki team thodi kamzor dikh rahi hai. Phir bhi, Shanto ka hausla buland hai. Unka kehna hai, “Yeh naye ladkon ke liye mauka hai apna dum dikhane ka.”
| Team | Key Players | Taakat |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Dhananjaya, Mathews, Jayasuriya | Ghar mein spin-friendly wickets |
| Bangladesh | Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim | Recent Test jeet ka momentum |
Kya Hoga Aage?
Galle ka maidan spin ke liye mashhoor hai, aur yahan Akila Dananjaya jaise spinners ka bolbala ho sakta hai. Sri Lanka ke liye yeh series ek mauka hai apne fans ko nayi umeed dene ka. Agar woh Bangladesh ko hara dete hain, toh shayad 2008 ke uss waqt ki yaad taaza ho jab unhone India ko ghar mein hara diya tha. Lekin sawaal yeh hai—kya yeh nayi team purani glory wapas la payegi?
Lekin chalo, sach toh yeh hai ki Sri Lanka ke Test schedule mein sirf 12 match hain iss cycle mein, aur agla Test ek saal baad. Yeh kami dil tod deti hai. Jab Australia, India, aur England 20-22 Test khel rahe hain, toh Sri Lanka aur Bangladesh jaise teams ke liye mauka hi kahan hai? Angelo Mathews ne bhi yahi shikayat ki thi—aur shayad yahi wajah hai unke retirement ki. Aakhir kab tak ek team sapne dekhegi jab maidan hi nahi milta?
