Not His Father Or Virat-Rohit! Mahela Jayawardene's Son Picks This Indian Stalwart As Idol

Sineth Jayawardene will lead SL in U19 WC 2024 (x.com)

In the lead-up to the highly anticipated 15th ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, young captain of the Sri Lankan U19 team, Sineth Jayawardene has openly expressed his admiration for the legendary Indian skipper, MS Dhoni. The tournament, set to begin on January 19, will witness teams from 16 countries competing across 41 matches, culminating on February 11.

SL U19 captain Sineth Jayawardene idolizes MS Dhoni

As the Sri Lankan Under 19 team gears up for the tournament, Jayawardene has been vocal about his aspiration to emulate Dhoni's leadership and calm demeanour. He views Dhoni not just as a cricketing idol but as a benchmark for his own style of captaincy. 

“I would like to be like MS Dhoni. He’s my idol. I want to be as cool as him. The way he handles the team, his decision-making – everything about him is amazing," said Sri Lanka captain Sineth Jayawardene.

It is worth mentioning that this year's Under 19 World Cup features an innovative format, with the top three teams from each of the four groups advancing to a new "Super Six" stage. These 12 teams will then be split into two groups of six to determine the semi-finalists. Jayawardene's team is placed in Group C alongside Australia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

With anticipation building, the 2024 U19 World Cup is set to be a showcase of emerging talent and brilliant performances, where young cricketers like Jayawardene will get a chance to step into the spotlight and possibly follow in the footsteps of their idols. It will be interesting to see if the youngster can channel Dhoni's qualities into his performance and lead his team to glory.

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