Tri Series, Match 2 Preview: Confident Sri Lanka faces West Indies challenge

Two new look team will meet each other tomorrow when Sri Lanka will take on West Indies in the second ODI of the Tri – Series at the Harare Sports Club, Harare. Sri Lanka has already registered bonus points after defeating Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the series opener. West Indies are coming from a brief break following their unsuccessful UAE tour and have landed here with an inexperienced side. The pitch and weather condition are expected to be the same. Predicting the favourites would be tough. It’s limited over cricket and both the teams despite being a completely young unit carry the ‘unpredictability tag with them. Sri Lanka has gained a first – hand experience of what it is going to be like playing here but for West Indies, it will be bit alien.  So, therefore, it will be safe to say the better team will win tomorrow.

West Indies:

This series will about unearthing talents for West Indies. The team features few really inexperienced name and the upcoming match, in fact the whole series will test potential of newbies like Jason Mohammad, Shane Dowrich, and Shai Hope. The upcoming series will also be a chance or them to perform and seal their place in the limited overs setup.

West Indies are coming from a disastrous tour of UAE, especially in the limited overs leg where they were clean swept 3-0 by Pakistan. This loss will surely be on the back of the mind. The absence of the likes of Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo might be felt if the youngsters fail to deliver.

Apparently, Johnson Charles is the most experienced cricketer in the side which is set to play tomorrow. He along with Kraigg Brathwaite will carry the batting burden on them. The bowling attack more sorted in the presence of wily Sunil Narine and Suleiman Benn. Shannon Gabriel seems to be in good form while Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite make up the rest of the pace attack and will play the supporting role to Gabriel.

Sri Lanka:

Sri Lanka has had a pretty awesome time dominating the Zimbabweans and will now perhaps tightened their shoe strings a bit tighter when they come out to face West Indies. Inexperience will again be the factor which will bother the Lankans, especially in the batting department. Barring Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga, the entire batting setup is new in some way of the other. Therefore, the batting setup has to be more cautious when they take on the more competitive and effective Windies bowling attack.

The bowling attack was on top of the opposition in the opening match and a similar sort of performance would be expected from them in the upcoming match as well. The conditions are going to be same and the fast bowlers will under spotlight whether bowling first or second.

Probable XI:

West Indies (possible): Johnson Charles, Kraigg Brathwaite, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Shai Hope, Shane Dowrich (wk), Jonathan Carter, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder (C), Sulieman Benn, Shannon Gabriel

Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga (C), Asela Gunaratne, Shehan Jayasuriya, Sachith Pathirana, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep

Stats:

• In 54 ODIs between these countries, West Indies hold the advantage with 27 wins to Sri Lanka’s 24. Yet that is weighted somewhat by West Indies’ yesteryear prowess. Sri Lanka has won six of the last seven matches between the teams.
• Suranga Lakmal is Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker this year, with 11 scalps from eight matches at 26.72.
• West Indies last visited Zimbabwe in 2007-08, when they won a five-match series 3-1, with one game abandoned.