By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka will carry a buoyant thrust in the 2-match ODI series against Australia starting tomorrow at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium drawing on the 3-2 home series triumph in 2022 when the two sides last met in the Lankan backyard.
Skippered by the hard hitting Charith Asalanka Sri Lanka packs quite a strong side both in the batting and bowling departments.
The host team’s 2-nil win over New Zealand in the Kiwi backyard in January this year which was their last assignment in the ODI format would be a further morale boosting factor over a strong side whom Asalanka and company comprehensively outwitted braving the odds of playing in foreign terrain.
Another high the Lankans would carry is the stunning 2-0 hammering handed to the strong Rohit Sharma led Indians when the spin duo of Dunith Wellalage and Jeffrey Vandersay ran amok with big guns Virat Kohli and Sharma among India’s superstars who were undone by the Lankan spin web.
The 2022 series against the Australians did see Sri Lanka les by Dasun Shanaka witnessed some quality performances by the hosts in high scoring shoot outs except for the final game.
Australia, minus regular captain Pat Cummins, though would look to drive home their 2-nil test series dominance over Sri Lanka ably led by Stevie Smith who enjoyed a rollicking comeback captaincy fluency to go with his brilliant two centuries following his sandpaper controversy removal from the job in 2018 in South Africa.
Head to head, Australia bask in a 64 to 36 win ratio which in historic terms does certainly make them the top guns from 104: exchanges with 4 no results.
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga.
Australia: Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
