By Kumar Sangakkara
As you read this I’ll be aboard our flight to Lahore, excited to be on the road again for a big tournament. I think all players like the excitement and buzz of a competition and this Asia Cup, the first since 2004, should be a memorable event with the big four Asian teams all closely matched.

Since returning from the IPL at the beginning of the month we’ve worked particularly hard on fitness and physical training. We’ve had two good solid weeks together as a squad, we’ve focused too on skills and spent some time talking about our plans and strategies for the coming months.

As a squad, we’re determined to bounce back after three consecutive one-day tournaments in which we’ve played inconsistently. We pride ourselves in our limited overs cricket but during the past six months we’ve not achieved the normal high standards we aspire to.

It has been a period of rebuilding so we did expect there to be plenty of bumps along the way. Our long-term goal is building a side for the 2011 World Cup and in that department I believe we have made significant strides with several young and talented players coming into the fold.

But we also realise that we need to win matches along the way. This builds confidence and aids the rebuilding of the team. The team’s redevelopment cannot be an excuse. The bottom-line, now, is that we need to start turning out positive results.

This Asia Cup provides the perfect chance to start building-up momentum for what is a tough few months. We have a really tough India tour on the horizon and then the Champions Trophy. That’s three high-profile tournaments in the next three months.We certainly travel with a great deal of confidence. We’re familiar with playing in Pakistan and I believe we have a very strong and talented squad now. There is a nice blend of youth and experience. And key players are in good form after the IPL.From the West Indies series we’ve been strengthened by the return of four big players for us: Murali, Sanath, Maharoof and Dilhara. That is obviously going to strengthen our line-up. It also leaves us with lots of opportunities in terms of our team composition.

It’s great to see Sanath hitting the ball with freedom and confidence again. His batting during the second half of the IPL was breathtaking at times. The return of Sachin Tendulkar from injury seemed to be the spark that got him going and he then went onto transform the Mumbai Indians.

Having an in-form Sanath back at the top of the order should be a real bonus. The most obvious weakness in the team during recent months has been our failure to get good starts. If we can turn that around then we should quickly start winning consistentlyNaturally, it must be tough for a guy like Upul Tharanga to be out of the squad. However, we all know he is a quality opener. You don’t score five one-day hundreds in a year unless you have some proper class. He needs to be patient and keep working hard. His time will come again.

Another player that had a really impressive IPL tournament was Farveez. He has developed steadily over the past two years and in India he was a huge asset for the Delhi Daredevils. If he can bowl with the same parsimonious control and skill, as well as bat with the same authority, then he’ll balance our one-day team beautifully.

There has been lots of chatter about Murali and Ajantha bowling in tandem. That could be really exciting. It’s certainly a good option for us depending on the conditions. But we’ll first have to assess those conditions in both Lahore, normally more seamer friendly, and Karachi, where it is going to be baking hot.

The good thing is that with the currently squad we have lots of options in all departments. We can assess conditions, our opponents, the form of the players and then select the best team for the day. Selection is not going to be easy, but that is a positive sign.