Sri Lanka have been hit hard by injuries to key players in the run-up to this Asia Cup, and captain Dasun Shanaka on Wednesday said they don’t have control over such crisis but are confident of others standing up for the absentees in the continental showpiece.

Six-time champions Sri Lanka will open their Asia Cup campaign against Bangladesh here on Thursday, but they will be without four main players in the form of spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, and quicks Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka.

“We can’t have control over injuries. You know the players who unfortunately missed out. Hasaranga, Chameera are all big players, experienced players.

“But we have a young side and this will be a good experience for them. So yeah, we are looking forward to the tournament,” Shanaka said on the eve of Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against Bangladesh.

Shanaka believes Sri Lanka have enough quality players in their side to make an impression in this Asia Cup. “Last time (in the 2022 Asia Cup) also, we went in as underdogs and lost our first game against Afghanistan. But we still managed to finish with the trophy,” he said.

“There is no question about where we are sitting at the moment and about the team’s balance, so we are looking forward to all those challenges that tournament may throw at us.”

Sri Lanka will be travelling to Pakistan after Thursday’s game for their fixture against Afghanistan in Lahore. Shanaka though did not read too much about the hectic travel.

“We were in the same situation during last year’s (T20) World Cup. That’s how, I think, international cricket is played and we are used to it. It can be a worry, but we are still managing it,” he said.

Shanaka said it is important for Sri Lanka to ensure they keep playing competitive cricket ahead of the ODI World Cup to be played in India from October 5 to November 19.

“We know the dominance of India and Pakistan in Asia. But Sri Lanka have a good history of playing well in World Cups as well as the Asia Cup. So, it is important for us to play good, competitive cricket as a unit going into the World Cup,” he said.

Shanaka’s Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan has also been his teammate at Galle Titans in the Lanka Premier League. This seems to have given Sri Lanka an insight into how the Bangladeshis tend to operate.

“There is an advantage in having been able to play with Shakib in the LPL,” Shanaka said. “The Bangladesh players are sometimes a bit too quick in the way they take decisions.”

Written with PTI inputs