After a historic series whitewash against Pakistan with a 2nd string team, Sri Lanka will be a confident unit when they lock horns against Australia in a 3 match T20I series. The first match of the series will be played tomorrow. Sri Lanka narrowly lost their practice game against Prime Ministers XI by just a solitary wicket but will be a confident unit.
Sri Lanka has a confident young team who has the ability to dismantle any opposition especially in the shortest format of the game. Australia, on the other hand, will be relieved after Aaron Finch passed the fitness. However, the absence of Andrew Tye might affect them as he has been a consistent performer for them with the ball, especially in T20I cricket.
Match Details:
Venue- Adelaide Oval in Adelaide
Date and Time- 27th October, 9 AM (IST)
Australia will look to stamp their authority on the young Sri Lankan team when both the teams squares off in the opening match of the series. Medium-pacer and one of the most important bowlers for Australia, Andrew Tye has been already ruled out of the series due to an elbow injury.
Meanwhile, it will be good signs for the home team as Aaron Finch passed the fitness test. Ashton Turner is has been declared fit to bat. However if he does make it to the Playing XI, he can only field in the ring and won’t be able to bowl his leg-breaks.
Predicted Playing XI
Aaron Finch (C), David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey (WK), Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Billy Stanlake.
Squad
Aaron Finch (C), David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey (WK), Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Billy Stanlake, Sean Abbott, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson
Sri Lanka are playing with their full strength squad after few of the top players opted out of the tour of Pakistan. In their absence, some of the youngsters made their mark including the likes of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Oshada Fernando and it will be hard to drop them.
Predicted Playing XI
Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera (WK), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando/ Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep.
Squad
Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera (WK), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Kasun Rajitha, Oshada Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan,Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara
Australia last played a T20I series against India in their den and managed to win both the matches in the series to seal it 2-0. In the last 5 T20I matches, Australia has managed to win 3 while one each has been washed out and a defeat.
On the other hand, the islanders have played some exceptional cricket and whitewashed Pakistan in the T20I series by a 3-0 margin. They have won 4 out of the last 5 T20I matches they have played.
Sri Lanka has an edge over Australia in the T20I format. In the 13 matches played between the two teams so far, Australia has managed to win 5 while Sri Lanka have won the rest 8. However, there is no doubt about the fact that Australia will start as favourites in tomorrow’s clash.
Australia vs Sri Lanka Dream 11 Team Combination
Wicket-keepers- Alex Carey
Batsmen- David Warner, Aaron Finch, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Oshada Fernando
All-rounders- Glenn Maxwell, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka
Bowlers- Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Lasith Malinga
David Warner- This man doesn’t need an introduction. The southpaw has been an exceptional player for Australia over the years and will be making a comeback in the shortest format of the game. His record is impeccable in all forms of cricket. The southpaw has scored 1792 runs in his T20I career and can strike the ball a long way. If he gets going, no batsmen can fetch more points than Warner.
Glenn Maxwell- If the Warner ploy fails, he is expected to do the job for the dream xi player. Maxwell is a sensational player especially in the T20I format and has already smashed a sensational century against Sri Lanka in this format. He also smashed a mach winning century in the last T20I series in India. He has scored 1514 T20I runs at an average of 34 including 3 centuries in this format. He can also roll his arm over for one or two overs