India, Feb. 3 -- Sri Lanka walk into ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with a very specific advantage: they don't need the tournament to become a six-hitting carnival to feel relevant. They can win by making matches uncomfortable-slowing the tempo, squeezing the middle overs, and forcing opponents to hit the "wrong" balls to the "wrong" pockets.

That identity suits a World Cup partly hosted at home, with their opener scheduled in Colombo against Ireland at R. Premadasa Stadium. It's also a tightrope. When dew skids the ball on, or early wickets force their batters into rescue mode, Sri Lanka's margin can shrink fast. The squad, led by Dasun Shanaka, has the tools to go deep-if it plays its strengths without pretending its weaknesses don't exi...