Champions Trophy 2017: 5 reasons for Sri Lanka to be optimistic

#1 The underdog tag

In spite of the return of the likes of Kapugedara and Malinga, Lanka go in as underdogs

The tag of favourites going into a major tournament is a pressure cooker situation. Ask South Africa! Sri Lanka are helped by the fact that they have been pathetic in the past few months in cricketing terms, meaning that despite the return of Angelo Matthews, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga and Chamara Kapugedara, they walk in as underdogs to the Champions Trophy.

There is little pressure on their young players, who carry little baggage while most of their senior players have all been part of a World Cup final (2011 in India) and know what to expect in terms of pressure. That they go into this tournament free minded is possibly Lanka's biggest advantage. So little is expected of them that they might as well go into every game with the mindset of a bilateral series.