Will Sri Lanka spring a surprise?
Tough task ahead for Sri Lanka against World Champions- File pic
A seemingly balanced-looking Sri Lankans would be taking on World Champions Australia in a five-match T20 series come Friday (11) with the tour-opener set for Sydney Cricket Ground under floodlights starting at 1.30 p.m. Sri Lankan Time.
For this tour too, the visitors would be under the watchful eyes of interim coach Rumesh Ratnayake, coaching his second duty, though a permanent coach was supposed to be appointed.
The last occasion the 2014 champions recorded a win was in 2017, in Down Under itself. It came on the back of all-rounder Asela Gunaratne’s bat-and-ball brilliance, scripting a famous win and was instrumental in his side wrapping up the series two-one.
In the first two T20’s, he delivered back-to-back winning knocks, aiding the lions to roar and stun the Kangaroos in their own backyard. The host are effortlessly capable of returning a taste of our own medicine. They already did so, when these two sides last saw off at the yesteryear’s T20 World Cup with the men in yellow-and-green having a walk in the park.
However, though, this time, the context and composition is entirely different. Aussies are on top of the world in T20. Even irrespective of the world title, it would take an elusive effort or even a herculean task, to give the hosts a run for their money. Dasun Shanaka-led Lankans will have to punch above their weight to give a good game, let alone setting sights on winning.
Though Shanaka and co., are on the process of building a settling a team, the first overseas assignment across any format for this year, would be a test of surviving the quota of over’s.
The batting unit has been in good knick since the world cup. With Charith Asalanka, having enjoyed an excellent world cup, and Avishka Fernando hitting the only century in the last edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). These in-form batters have in company Pethum Nissanka, a budding T20 material. The banned and returning Danushka Gunatilake, in his first shortest format outing since the comeback, is expected to open alongside Nissanka. Kusal Mendis, also caught red-handed, but in brilliant form since the recently-concluded LPL, and returns to the side as the wicket-keeper batsman. But his return has also created a competition between him and Dinesh Chandimal, coming back to the side on the back of an impressive run at the LPL, as to who will be the wicket-keeper and fill in the no.5 position.
The Sunday Times learnt yesterday, the Covid-19-infected pacie Nuwan Thushara and all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne, who missed out on traveling with the team due to testing positive for the virus, will join the team on time for the curtain raiser.
The middle-order would carry the three musketeers as all-rounder’s – skipper Shanaka, Karunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga.
As usual it would be the lanky right-armer Dushmantha Chameera opening the bowling attack with the bulky-looking, Lahiru Kumara. The big unit Kumara, turning 25 on the day of the second T20, will also have the services of Karunaratne, but Kumara has recently come under fire for death bowling lapses.
In the spinning department, its apparent, host would be banking their spin on wizard, Hasaranga, to deliver the goods. Sharing the spinning task along with the world no.1 T20 spinner would be his deputy Maheesh Theekshana.
The home team overall holds the edge and are well ahead of them. In nearly half-a-dozen of the past encounters, Aaron Finch’s side has handsomely handed them defeats. Though the favourites are no secret, will Sri Lanka produce a one-off wonder of a win is the question that begs the answer.
| Squads | |
| Sri Lanka Pethum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka (C), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando, Danushka Gunathilake, Praveen Jayawickrama, Janith Liyanage, Ramesh Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Jeffrey Vandersay and Nuwan Thushara. Australia Aaron Finch (C), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dermott, Kane Richardson, Jhye Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa. |