13/06/2026
Aqib Javed said, "There are still 1.5 years left until the World Cup, but people forget that. In the last World Cup, Sri Lanka and the West Indies had to go through the qualifying round. It’s important to remain in the top six through your bilateral performances because if you slip, another team can play well and overtake you. Bilateral series determine where you stand.
If, 1.5 years in advance, we start thinking about preparing to play in South Africa, then as this season ends and Sri Lanka arrives in October, that’s when it begins to make sense. By then, you should be in a position where you don’t have to fear dropping out of the top six. From October onward, the team should focus on that kind of preparation."
