England are having a nightmare of a World Cup. They kicked off the tournament with a loss against New Zealand. It seemed like they’d found their rhythm when they bounced back with a win against Bangladesh in the very next game.
However, both Afghanistan and South Africa outplayed the defending champions in their next two consecutive matches. Sri Lanka found their first win of the tournament in their last game against the Netherlands.
THE VENUE FOR SRI LANKA-ENGLAND MATCH
The pitch is a batting paradise where Australia scored 367 runs in the last ODI played at this venue. Spinners can also find some help off the surface but will find no room for error given the smaller dimensions of the ground.
Average 1st Innings Score: 310
Average 2nd Innings Score: 300
TEAM PREVIEW
ENGLAND
If England win all of the remaining matches, they will finish with 12 points which may not be exactly enough to get through to the semi-finals. They are on a very difficult path now with some tough competition ahead in the tournament even if they beat Sri Lanka.
After this game, they will go to Lucknow to play the hosts India who are on a whole different level altogether. To get back in this tournament, England will need their key players to find consistency.
Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan will be crucial as openers followed by the experienced Joe Root at number 3. These 3 need to set the stage for a big score on a batting-friendly track and smaller boundaries at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Ben Stokes and Harry Brook who failed to get going in the last game will also be eager to go after the Sri Lankan bowlers and make a big impact in the middle-order.
Chris Woakes and Sam Curran failed miserably against Afghanistan and were quickly replaced in the next match. At least one of these two should be back in the side to add depth to the lineup.
Bowling has also been an issue with no reliable wicket-taker who would consistently deliver breakthroughs. Adil Rashid and Mark Wood will be the key bowlers to watch out for.
EXPECTED PLAYING XI OF ENGLAND v SRI LANKA
Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c & wk), David Willey, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
SRI LANKA
It has been quite a ride for Sri Lanka so far with many ups and downs. It started off with a high-scoring match where they conceded 400+ runs but in the subsequent matches managed to pull things back with the ball.
Losing to Pakistan in Hyderabad must have been a huge disappointment for skipper Dasun Shanaka. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored a hundred each in the middle-order to take Sri Lanka to 344 runs while batting first.
And yet, Sri Lanka lost the match by 6 wickets. Dilshan Madhushanka, the left-arm fast-medium bowler has clearly been the pick of the bowlers. Though he has just 10 ODIs to his name, he’s been right on the target in recent outings.
Sri Lanka brought in Kasun Rajitha in the last match and he delivered a four-fer along with Madushanka. Maheesha Theekshana will be the key spin bowler for Sri Lanka and though they’ve got Dhananjaya de Silva in the side, he hasn’t found much success.
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera will be keen on getting off to a good start on this ground. There is enough firepower in this top order with Kusal Mendis at number 3.
Mendis will need to build a partnership if Sri Lanka lose an early wicket. While there are the likes of Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka at 4 and 5, the role of number 3 batters is of utmost importance in ODI cricket.
EXPECTED PLAYING XI OF SRI LANKA v ENGLAND
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka
PREDICTION FOR THE MATCH
England have a more experienced side with a deeper batting lineup and will be the superior side coming into this match.
Also Read: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma’s Brigade A Team To Beat In The Tournament