🏏 Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #14: Australia vs Sri Lanka 🏏

🏏 Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #14: Australia vs Sri Lanka 🏏

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Following yesterday's unexpected outcome, today's game is extremely intriguing on a different level.

These two teams were formerly thought to be unbeatable in any competition, but now they are at the bottom of the World Cup points table and are still in search of points!

Fate Bhai, fate.... , is capable of doing anything in an unanticipated way at any time!!

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If this World Cup was a party, then you'd think Australia have been like the guys at the bar closest to the door, making a little song and dance about their presence. And having barely had an impact on proceedings

Sri Lanka on the other hand, has been like the enthusiastic fellow who's set the dance floor alight with a couple of set moves but has then struggled to hold his own or anyone else's attention for too long.

To Sri Lanka's credit, they've played a part in two of the more entertaining matches of the World Cup so far, starting with the run-fest against South Africa and the record-chase from Pakistan. Australia though have neither come close to winning nor have they stayed in games long enough to make a match of them.

Australia and Sri Lanka will look to put their World Cup campaigns back on track when they face off at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow today.

Both teams have lost their opening two matches and need a win to revive their campaign.

Australia is currently placed at the ninth position on the points table of the ICC World Cup 2023 whereas Sri Lanka is currently placed at the seventh spot on the points table.

Australia played their last game against South Africa, and they won that game by 134 runs. In that game, Marnus Labuschagne managed to score 46 runs for Australia.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka played their last match against Pakistan, where Pakistan beat them by 6 wickets. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama hammered 122 runs and 108 runs, respectively, for Sri Lanka in that game.

These two teams have played 103 games against each other in this format so far, where Australia won 63 runs while Sri Lanka managed to win 36 matches.

A cracking game of cricket is expected here between these two sides.

Tag Credit: Sutapasima

PREDICTED LINEUPS FOR AUSTRALIA vs. SRI LANKA

Australia: Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis(wk), Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood.

SRI LANKA: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka.

While Australia are yet to post a score of 200 or above, Sri Lanka have gone past 300 comfortably in their first two contests.

Pat Cummins referred to his team's current position as being one where "every game now becomes almost like a final". Though the length of the tournament will allow for a technical chance for both teams even if they do lose on Monday, the chances of that happening will be minimal. And neither team will want to get into a 0-3 scenario by the time they leave Lucknow. While Australia have had their own share of injury troubles, Sri Lanka have been riddled with players going down and will now play the rest of the tournament without their captain Dasun Shanaka.

Australia's issues have largely centered around the lack of runs from the middle-order and the inconsistency in wicket-taking during the middle overs. They are issues that they carried into the World Cup after having won only one out of their previous 8 ODIs.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are coming off one of their best runs in the format, which has taken a bit of a blow in their last three games despite having had to qualify for the main draw. So, the onus will be on both teams to not just get moving up the points table but also to break free from their disappointing recent form. And also to ensure that they don't reach a point this early where a premature exit from the party is guaranteed.

Ekana Cricket Stadium Pitch Report:

The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow has not witnessed many one-day cricket matches, and the statistics at this ground indicate that spin bowlers may play a pivotal role in shaping the game’s outcome with a slight edge over batters and seamers. Although the pitch tends to favour teams chasing a target, it’s worth noting that Australia suffered a loss against South Africa at this very venue during a run chase in their last fixture. Overall, both teams might find themselves in a highly competitive position and may look to bat first, considering the last game played at this ground.

What to expect: The sun really does hit you hard in Lucknow during the day. It's the kind of place where it's best to avoid exposing your body to the elements before around 5 pm. That'll also possibly dictate which way the two captains go when it comes to the toss. Cummins spoke about not being the best reader of pitches. But one thing he'd have noticed from the re-laid surface here is that it does begin to slow down once the ball loses its sheen and hardness. And also, that it seems to start seaming around under lights. Expect Cummins, at least, to be keen to bat first.

Thanks for the tag...💛🩵

Sri Lanka have been forced to change their captain midway through the World Cup

Dasun Shanaka has been ruled out due to a muscle injury

Kusal Mendis has been named captain of the Sri Lankan team.

That's what I read n news...

Team Watch

Australia

"I dare say there won't be too many changes," is how Cummins answered the customary question about the playing XI for the match. And with Josh Inglis being picked ahead of Alex Carey against South Africa, it's only understandable that the Aussies will stick with the Western Australian behind the stumps.

Tactics & Strategy:

Australia have piled on scores of over 340 in both their previous World Cup encounters against Sri Lanka, even if they came in very different conditions to what's on offer in Lucknow. Sri Lanka's fast bowlers and overall depleted attack here might provide the best opportunity for Australia to get firing again with the bat, especially for the likes of Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. Having said that, a run-chase of any significance, say in excess of 300, would be a massive challenge for the misfiring Aussie batting line-up.

Sri Lanka

Chamika Karunaratne bowled a long spell alongside the other fit bowlers on the eve of the match and should be a likely starter in place of Shanaka. Matheesha Pathirana is out with injury and that should mean Kasun Rajitha is a certain starter with the new ball.

Tactics & Strategy:

Kusal Mendis made it very clear that he would not be keen on tinkering with the batting order just because he's now in-charge. And though chasing down a total might come with its difficulties against the seaming ball, Sri Lanka's best chance is to somehow use their spinners to restrict the Aussies during the day rather than risk bowling later on when dew does start to have a big say. Both Maheesha Theekshana and Dhananjaya de Silva have a good record with the new ball against David Warner, and that'll be a certain match-up, but wickets in the middle from their other spinners are what could give them the edge in this match between two teams that find themselves near the bottom for now.

Thanks for the tag Madhu.

I am in two minds. Who do I want to win?

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Pat Cummins referred to his team's current position as being one where "every game now becomes almost like a final". Though the length of the tournament will allow for a technical change for both teams even if they do lose on Monday, the chances of that happening will be minimal.

And neither team will want to get into a 0-3 scenario by the time they leave Lucknow. While Australia have had their own share of injury troubles, Sri Lanka have been riddled with players going down and will now play the rest of the tournament without their captain, Dasun Shanaka.

After 10 days of uninterrupted action, only 3 teams are yet to get off the mark in the tournament. Call it surprise or shock, Australia, are one of them and, are languishing right at the bottom of the table. They will be up against 8th-placed Sri Lanka who, much like their opponents today, lost both their games thus far. For Sri Lanka, it's their bowling that hurt them the most and for the Aussies, it's their batting. Though the head-to-head record is heavily tilted in the favour of Australia (8-1), we have seen Afghanistan script history in Delhi yesterday. Can Sri Lanka do something similar, or will Australia storm a comeback? Hello and welcome to game 14. Toss and team details in 45...