Ire v SL, 2nd ODI Preview: High-flying Lankans aim for clean-sweep

The second ODI of the Ireland v Sri Lanka series will witness Ireland take on the Sir Lankans in a repeat fixture of the first ODI. While the aforementioned statement remains true, the home side will be looking to erase the heartbreak of the first ODI with a win in the second. As for the Lankans, it will be an important fixture as they look to prepare for their upcoming ODI and subsequent T20I series in England.

Pitch Conditions-

The wicket at Malahide is expected to remain in a similar condition it was prior to the start of the first ODI. In spite of the rain, the wicket is still expected to hold up for the second and final ODI of the series. Dew will also play a part should the overcast conditions prevail later in the day.

Team Analysis

Ireland:

Having lost the first ODI in rather disappointing circumstances, Ireland will be hoping that they can spark a turnaround. Having never beaten Sri Lanka in an ODI previously, skipper William Porterfield will certainly believe that this is the best chance to get the better of his counterpart Angelo Mathews. Moreover, it will be important to see whether the experienced 37-year old Ed Joyce gets a second opportunity following a failure in the first ODI.

On the other hand, all eyes at Malahide will be on 23-year old medium pacer, Barry McCarthy. The latter impressed one and all in his ODI debut, picking up two wickets and exhibiting excellent control while bowling. It remains to be seen if most players make their opportunity count in the bigger level or not.

Also read – Dasun Shanaka had a dream debut: Angelo Mathews

Sri Lanka

The massive 76-run win over Ireland in the first ODI cleared many a questions posed by a few fans and pundits alike. However, what was even more impressive was the performance of Dasun Shanaka and Dinesh Chandimal. While the latter reached his first ODI century in almost five years, Shanaka had a dream debut as he concluded with a 5-wicket haul.

While the impressive performances of these blokes certainly have taken center stage, the arrival of one of the forgotten stars of Sri Lankan cricket, Upul Tharanga. In spite of having 13 ODI tons to his name, Tharanga has played just 10 ODIs in the last two years as the Lankans have undergone a transition. Whether he gets his chance in the second ODI remains to be seen.

Probable XI:

Ireland:

William Porterfield (C), Gary Wilson (wk), John Anderson/Ed Joyce, Paul Stirling , Kevin O’Brien, Stuart Poynter, George Dockrell, Max Sorensen, Barry McCarthy, Boyd Rankin, Tim Murtagh

Sri Lanka:

Angelo Mathews (C), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Kusal Perera, Danuskha Gunathilaka/Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Shaminda Eranga, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal

StAttack

1. Dasun Shanaka became the first player in the history of ODI cricket to score 16+ runs and take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut.

2. Sri Lanka and Ireland have met on five occasions, with Sri Lanka winning three matches. The other two matches have been abandoned.

3. Ireland’s lowest all-out ODI total came against Sri Lanka during the 2007 World Cup, when they were dismissed for 77 in Grenada.