The venue has a reputation for high-scoring games. Sri Lanka has strengthened the batting unit with Angelo Mathews walking straight into the side after being drafted into the squad on Tuesday.
They will also turn to the part-time seam bowling of Mathews as required. Kumara had an off day against Australia, his only match in the tournament, conceding 47 runs off his four overs. But his ability to clock over 140km/h and has boosted his inclusion. But the other two, Madushanka in particular have been exception, with 11 wickets in four games.
Theekshana experienced some discomfort in his right hamstring in Lucknow but since has recovered and remains eligible for selection.
Although Mathews is making a comeback to white-ball cricket after nearly five months, a world of expectations lies on the shoulders of the 36-year-old batter to steady Sri Lanka’s fragile middle-order batting.
Mathews said he did not expect this moment after being sidelined initially.
The latest strategy has its downside. With four specialist bowlers, Sri Lanka will heavily depend on Mathews and de Silva to bowl 10 overs in the match.
The top order will remain the same with Kusal Janith Perera and Pathum Nissanka at the top, followed by Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrema and Charith Asalanka forming the batting order. Sri Lanka has utilised everyone but Dimuth Karunaratne, the 2019 Captain of the World Cup side, in the squad.
Nissanka has clobbered three consecutive half centuries in the tournament but Perera failed to reach double figures on three occasions.
“He’s aware of it. It’s something that he loved to do, to convert those 50s into hundreds. He’s working very hard on it and I think once he gets over that hump, you’ll see he converts them more and more often,” Chris Silverwood, the Head Coach, said of the 25-year-old batter.
Moeen Ali, the English all-rounder, said they understood their position well.
Sri Lanka have won all four encounters in the competition against England since 1999. Mathews, when asked whether the defending champions would be under pressure, said it applies to both.
Sri Lanka (Probable): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (Captain/wk), Sadeera Samarawickrema, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka.
England (Probable): Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook/Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler (Captain/wk), David Willey/Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes/Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasised that LKR 01 billion will be allocated next year for research on the relationship between Buddha’s teachings and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
V.V. Ganeshananthan has won the prestigious Carol Shields Prize for Fiction 2024 for her book ‘Brotherless Night’.
The Kandy railway station was inundated with water due to heavy rains.
All senior officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration including the Commissioner General Harsha Illukpitiya today failed to attend a crucial meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) which was due to take up the controversy on outsourcing online and on arrival tourist visas.
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