da brwin： Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Asantha de Mel is of the opinionthat the Sri Lankans have the best side in the ongoing Coca-ColaCup tri series in Colombo
Staff Reporter24-Jul-2001Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Asantha de Mel is of the opinionthat the Sri Lankans have the best side in the ongoing Coca-ColaCup tri series in Colombo. "However, it would be wrong to writeoff India, even though they have lost the first two matches. Theyare playing in familiar conditions and always have the ability tocome back. So at the moment, I am not ready to say that they donot have a chance in the tournament," he said while talking to reportersin Kolkata on Monday.De Mel, who was the spearhead of the Sri Lankan attack in the 1983and 1987 World Cup competitions is in the city for a meetingwith the chairman of the Asian Cricket Foundation Jagmohan Dalmiya. "Themeeting is basically to discuss the way cricket can be developed in theregion," said de Mel.De Mel, who is also a member of the interim Cricket Board of SriLanka, said that the preliminary investigations on the allegationsof match-fixing against Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva havefailed to reveal anything substantial. "Both are not guilty andthe allegations are false," he said.De Mel added that de Silva had every possibility of making acomeback to the Lankan side. "Arjuna is concentrating on hisinsurance business but Aravinda is continuing to play. He hasbeen performing regularly and there is every possibility that hewill make the squad for the 2003 World Cup," de Mel said.