By : Nalin Jayetileke
The fourth game from the Group 1 of the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will have the Asian Champions Sri Lanka taking on the defending Champions Australia in Perth today. (4 pm Sri Lankan time)
While Sri Lanka thumped Ireland by 9 wickets in their opening game of the tournament, Australia went on to lose their first game to New Zealand. The two teams have played a total of 25 games against each other in the T20 format where Australians have recorded 15 wins while Sri Lankans have won 10. Given the Form the Sri Lankans are in and the match being played in Australia where the Australians too would be very comfortable with the conditions, another great encounter is anticipated between these two teams today.
Being a batting friend surface, the quick bowlers may see some help off the pitch later into the evening and the Australians with its speed armor may look to bat first if the toss comes their way and put pressure on the Sri Lankan batters. Sri Lanka would be looking at their batters playing a similar game play like how they did against Ireland and bank on its spinners to do the damage as Sri Lanka’s inexperienced seamers will need to perform beyond expectation to pose any threat to the Australians, given the match being a World Cup encounter.
The average 1st innings score on this ground for a T 20 is in the range of 155/156 and as such any team batting first scoring over 160 should pose a formidable threat to the team batting second.
Australia were beaten so profoundly by New Zealand in their tournament opener, as a result the Australian NRR has come down badly recording a truly appalling -4.4. Sri Lanka however has a NRR of 2.4 as a result of beating Ireland.
Australia would want to win big playing in Australia and being the Host and defending Champions with which they may have extra pressure whilst for Sri Lanka, big or small would not matter as long as a win comes Sri Lankan way.
The probable Teams – Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (Capt), Kusal Mendis(wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Ashen Bandara, Bhanuka Rajapaksa,, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando
Australia: Aaron Finch (Capt) ,David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
