Malinga ruled out of Kiwi clash

The key strike bowler has torn ligaments in his left ankle, and team spokesman Michael Tissera confirmed this afternoon the 23-year-old will not be available against the Kiwis at Queen's Park.

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New Zealand can book their place in the semi-finals with victory in their first fixture in Grenada, while Sri Lanka are in more urgent need of a win despite also appearing favourites at this stage to make the last four.

If they are to beat the Kiwis - one of just two teams, alongside Australia, with a 100% record so far in this tournament - they must do so without Malinga, however.

"He will not play tomorrow," said Tissera. "He is very keen to play, but we have told him 'No'. He has torn ligaments.

"He suffered the injury the day before yesterday, and we sent him to Jamaica for a scan. "We hope he will be fit for the games against Australia and Ireland (next week)."

Sri Lanka vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara made it clear the team management are confident they have the right playing staff - in the likes of pace-bowling all-rounders Farveez Maharoof and Nuwan Kulasekara - to pick up the slack from Malinga.

"We have a squad of five fast bowlers - and we will look to each one of them to step up," said Sangakkara.

"Lasith Malinga is important, but everyone has equal importance in our side.

"Whoever comes into his place must do the job - and that is how we approach it."

Sangakkara is well aware Sri Lanka will be up against one of their toughest opponents so far - but they draw confidence from having matched New Zealand all the way in a tied one-day series, in alien conditions, earlier this winter.

Unsurprisingly, he identifies fast bowler Shane Bond as one of the Kiwis' key weapons.

"I think Shane Bond is one person you have to respect - he's been probably the best fast bowler in the last six or seven months, alongside Lasith Malinga," said Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper-batsman.

"They also have batting strength - they bat very deep - and we know they are a very good fielding side.

"But we will approach it the way we did in New Zealand, challenge them every step of the way and play our Sri Lankan brand of cricket."

Sri Lanka have concluded there is no advantage in trying to move away from the attack-minded approach which brought them their only World Cup triumph so far 11 years ago.

"We have realised it is foolish to try to change our game. We established a Sri Lankan brand of cricket in 1996, and that's how we want to continue playing," Sangakkara promised.

"We play a very attacking, sometimes flamboyant but disciplined game."

The Sri Lankans will not be getting ahead of themselves, though.

"The idea of winning the tournament is still quite far off - we are just going to approach tomorrow's match as our most important," Sangakkara added.

A strikingly similar intent prevails in the Kiwi camp, their vice-captain Daniel Vettori according tomorrow's opponents the respect he believes they are due following the two countries' recent meetings.

New Zealand, victorious in their last nine full one-day internationals, have picked off some of the tournament's lesser lights among recent successes.

But Sri Lanka are the first of three teams - South Africa and Australia to follow in Grenada - who represent a major examination of their credentials.

"The toughest test is coming up now, with these three teams we have to play," said Vettori.

"We're almost guaranteed a semi-final spot - but we can control our own destiny if we win tomorrow.

"If we are going to go on and win the tournament, we know we are going to have to beat one of these three teams in either a semi-final or final.

"It's a wake-up call - because we know if we are going to have any chance we must play well in these next three."

Of those high-profile opponents, New Zealand know most about Sri Lanka from that 2-2 drawn series - and they will not make the mistake of under-estimating them.

"We've always had a feeling that when sub-Continent teams come to New Zealand they tend to struggle," said Vettori.

"But Sri Lanka certainly didn't the last time they came out. If anything, they probably got the better of us in our home conditions.

"That doesn't happen too often. So we realise, if they are doing that in our home conditions, they are going to be tough out here.

"They will be dangerous."