Sri Lanka team continued their injury issue with regular skipper Dasun Shanaka and young paceman Matheesha Pathirana both out for this game and inform batter wicket keeper Kusal Mendis will lead the team while bowling all rounder Chamika Karunaratne who was travelling as reserve player will play his first world cup game in Shanaka’s place while either Lahiru Kumara or Kasun Rajitha will take the place of injured Matheesha Pathirana.
After two rest days Sri Lanka team got two training sessions before this Australia game while Australia team who played against South Africa last Thursday at this same ground have slight advantage with previous game practice.
Number three batter Kusal Mendis is in terrific form and his team is expected to get first win after two back to back defeats by South Africa and Pakistan Kusal Mendis has big responsibility to win this game while bowling is the area to imporve. We can’t depend everyday on Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera everyday and rest of the bowlers have to take responsibility to bowl with their best effort.
The batting line up consist openers Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera,Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva while Chamika also useful all rounder followed by Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana and two pacemen Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha.
Theekshana is the most experienced spinner but after injury he is still up to expectations while part-time spinner Dhananjaya de Silva has important role as an all rounder. Getting early wickets of Australia is the best way to put pressure and Sri Lanka two pacemen have big task to control openers David Warner and Michell Marsh followed by Steve Smith the most experienced player of the Australia team.
Meanwhile Australia skipper Pat Cummins said We wanted to get our first win in this world cup after having two back to back defeats by beating Sri Lanka.
Both Sri Lanka and Australian had their final training sessions at Ekana Stadium but both sides did not confirme their final eleven which will be announced today before the game. Skipper Commins further said find these wickets are hard to read.
Sometimes it’s look terrible and players play beautifully and the opposite. Sometimes they look flat and they end up spinning. So, it is tough. You just got to adapt on the fly sometimes and reading the wicket is very important before the game.
Actually last game against South Africa we bowled really well at the end of the innings and to be fair to South Africa. I thought they bowled really well during our innings. Cutters seemed to work quite well last game, even just being a slightly bigger field here, that normally helps out the cutters into the wicket a little bit, added Cummins.
