Sri Lanka v Australia, 2nd T20I Preview: Wounded Lankans seek redemption

While Glenn Maxwell set the world ablaze with some power hitting in the first Sri Lanka v Australia T20 international in Pallekele, the wounded Sri Lankans will be hoping to redo their wrongs in the final match of the tour at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. With this encounter being Tillakaratne Dilshan’s final match of his international career, the home side will be hoping to give him a proper sendoff. Glenn Maxwell will also be hoping to make a similar impact to what he made in the previous match to showcase the consistency the selectors have declared that he does not have.

Pitch Conditions

The wicket at the R Premadasa Stadium is expected to be dry and assist the spinners. However, the fact of the matter will remain that each side will deploy just the one spinner in their respective playing XI. If history and patterns have any bearing, in this case, the team batting first has usually gone on to win the by comfortable margins. However, it remains to be seen what happens the following day.

Team Analysis

Sri Lanka

There will be a massive cloud of emotion surrounding the Sri Lankan camp prior to the start of the encounter. This will be the final time that Tillakaratne Dilshan comes out donning the coveted Sri Lankan jersey. While there will certainly be an outpour in the stadium, the 2000-run record beckons for Dilshan should he score the 112 runs he requires to do the same. However, there will certainly be no regret in his mind when he takes the field.

While all these things will in place, a sliver of the spotlight be on Chamara Kapugedera. The 30-year old who has made a comeback to the side after a long layoff impressed with some clean hitting in the previous match at Pallekele. The Lankans will be hoping that he reprises his role in the upcoming match. Dinesh Chandimal will also be hoping to impress with the bat as he had done in the previous match.

Australia

If there was one player who was not expected to make an impact as much as he did would most certainly be Glenn Maxwell. The 27-year old smashed an audacious 145 runs off just 65 deliveries in the first match. However, with a massive consistency cloud hovering above him, it is highly unlikely that Maxwell will make an impact in the upcoming encounter.

While most of Colombo’s eyeballs will be fixed on Maxwell, the selectors present will have their eyeballs fixated on Travis Head. The 22-year old southpaw impressed with both bat and ball in the previous match and the Aussies will be hoping that he impresses once more. George Bailey will also have a sliver of the spotlight on him when it comes to middle order batting despite not having gotten the chance in the previous game.

Playing XI (Probable)

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (C), Kusal Perera (WK), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Kasun Rajitha, Amila Aponso, Suranga Lakmal

Australia: David Warner (C), Peter Nevill (WK), Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, George Bailey, James Faulkner, Moises Henriques, John Hastings, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc

StAttack

1. Tillakaratne Dilshan requires 112 runs to become the first Sri Lankan player to score 2000 runs in T20 internationals.

2. Glenn Maxwell requires 10 sixes to become only the third Australian player to complete 50 sixes in T20 internationals. Only Shane Watson and David Warner have completed this feat.

3. Sri Lanka has won just one of the last 10 T20 internationals played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. That is their only win at this venue.