Game 14: Sri Lanka’s Decision to Bat First
In a strategic move, Sri Lanka’s newly appointed captain, Kusal Mendis, won the toss and chose to bat first. He expressed confidence that a score between 280-300 would provide a secure position for his team, especially considering the potential for the ball to behave differently under the floodlights.
Team Line-ups: Changes and Continuity
Sri Lanka introduced Chamika Karunaratne and Lahiru Kumara to their playing XI, replacing Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana. Australia, on the other hand, decided to stick with the same team that previously faced South Africa.
Setbacks and Strategy
Unfortunately, Sri Lanka faced a setback with their captain Dasun Shanaka suffering a quad injury. This led to him being ruled out of the tournament, and the leadership baton was passed to Mendis. Despite this, the team remains optimistic.
Head-to-Head: An Even Match in Asia
While Australia has historically had the upper hand over Sri Lanka with 63 wins to 35 losses, the Lions have shown their mettle in Asia. In this region, both teams have an equal record of 18 victories each, making for an exciting and evenly matched game.
The Playing XIs
Australia:
Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Sri Lanka:
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c) (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara