Overview
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis has won the toss and chosen to bat first in the 14th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Lucknow on Monday. Both teams have faced challenges at the start of the tournament. Australia, in particular, has struggled with their batting, failing to cross the 200-run mark and lacking a half-century scorer. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has been able to score runs but has had difficulties containing their opponents, even after losing their captain, Dasun Shanaka, to injury.
Australia's Travis Head is on the road to recovery after suffering a fracture on his left hand. He had his protective splint removed from his hand on Friday and is expected to join Australia's World Cup squad in India on Thursday. This injury occurred when he was hit by South African pacer Gerald Coetzee during preparations for the World Cup.
While Head may miss Australia's match against Pakistan on Friday in Bengaluru, there's a possibility that he could feature in the game against the Netherlands on October 25 in Delhi, provided he passes a fitness test. He's reported to be recovering well and potentially ahead of schedule, as opting not to undergo surgery has expedited his recovery process. Surgery would have required a 10-week recovery period, but without it, he could return to playing in as little as six weeks with the splint.
Head mentioned,
"It's coming along well, and probably better than we hoped."
This recovery progress is promising for Australia as they aim to regain their form in the World Cup.
Australia is facing issues with key bowler Adam Zampa's loss of form and has made early changes to their squad. Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis, who is in excellent form, has taken on the additional responsibility of captaining the Sri Lankan team. As both teams aim to get their World Cup campaigns back on track, the pressure is mounting, and this match may be crucial for their tournament journey.
Recent Encounters
Australia has a significant advantage in the overall head-to-head ODI matches against Sri Lanka. Out of 102 ODI matches, Australia has won 63, while Sri Lanka has won 35, and four matches ended without a result.
In the 103 ODIs that Australia has played against Sri Lanka, Australia has won 63 matches, while Sri Lanka has won 36. Four of these matches ended in no results. In World Cup encounters, these two teams have faced each other 11 times, with Australia winning 8 matches and Sri Lanka winning twice. These victories for Sri Lanka took place in 1996.
It's worth noting that during the Sri Lankan civil war, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) executed the Central Bank bombing, which was one of their deadliest attacks. In the wake of this event and due to safety concerns, Australia refused to travel to R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which led to them forfeiting the group match. However, they eventually met Sri Lanka in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where Sri Lanka secured a convincing 7-wicket win and lifted the trophy.
Playing 11 of AUS and SL
Sri Lanka has made a couple of changes to their lineup due to injuries. Chamika Karunaratne and Lahiru Kumara have replaced the injured Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana. Australia's team remains unchanged from their last match.
Australia:
- Mitchell Marsh,
- David Warner,
- Steven Smith,
- Marnus Labuschagne,
- Josh Inglis(w),
- Glenn Maxwell,
- Marcus Stoinis,
- Mitchell Starc,
- Pat Cummins(c),
- Adam Zampa,
- Josh Hazlewood
Sri Lanka:
- Pathum Nissanka,
- Kusal Perera,
- Kusal Mendis(w/c),
- Sadeera Samarawickrama,
- Charith Asalanka,
- Dhananjaya de Silva,
- Chamika Karunaratne,
- Dunith Wellalage,
- Maheesh Theekshana,
- Lahiru Kumara,
- Dilshan Madushanka
Australia's batting has been a significant concern in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. They have struggled to breach the 200-run mark in their previous matches. Against India, they managed to score just 199, and in their match against South Africa, they were only able to pile up 177, while South Africa posted a formidable 311/7.
In contrast, Sri Lanka's batting has been more formidable. They have comfortably crossed the 300-run mark in both of their matches. In the game against South Africa, they scored 326/10, even though South Africa had a massive total of 428/5 while batting first. In their match against Pakistan, Sri Lanka piled up 344/9 in 50 overs, but Pakistan managed to chase down this target with 1.4 overs to spare.
This stark difference in batting performance adds an intriguing dimension to the contest between Australia and Sri Lanka, making it a crucial encounter for both teams in the World Cup.
Pitch Report
Naseer Hussain, in a pitch report, mentioned that the pitch has some moisture due to the use of seen mats, which are preventing it from drying out too early. There's a bit of grass on it, and it has offered some assistance to spinners and seamers. Despite this, the pitch played well in previous matches.
Weather
The weather conditions in Lucknow are expected to be hazy and not as hot. There's a 4% chance of daytime rain and 65% at night. The probability of thunderstorms is 1% during the day and 19% at night. The temperature is forecasted to range between 33 degrees and 21 degrees Celsius, with winds blowing at approximately 9 km/hr in the east during the day and 11 km/hr northeast at night. Wind gusts of 26 km/hr are possible during both day and night. The probability of cloud cover is 57% during the day and 52% at night.
Both Australia and Sri Lanka are seeking their first victory in the tournament after suffering losses in their opening matches. Australia has faced defeats against India and South Africa, while Sri Lanka stumbled against South Africa and Pakistan. Australia currently sits ninth in the league table, while Sri Lanka is seventh.
Where to watch
You can watch the Australia vs. Sri Lanka match live on Indian television through Star Sports channels. Indian viewers can also enjoy free live streaming of the match on the Disney+Hotstar app and website. Additionally, Meta has partnered with the ICC for World Cup 2023 coverage on platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Threads. The match is scheduled to start at 2 pm.
Match Report:
In this match, it initially appeared to be in favor of Sri Lanka with a strong opening partnership of 125 runs. However, the game took a significant turn, and Australia came out as the dominant team. They managed to take all 10 wickets of Sri Lanka for just 86 runs. Sri Lanka's batters seemed to be more responsible for their own dismissals rather than falling to an outstanding Australian bowling performance. Apart from the opening partnership and a second partnership worth 32 runs, Sri Lanka struggled to build substantial partnerships throughout the game.
Adam Zampa was a standout performer for Australia, reclaiming his form by taking 4 wickets for 47 runs. He notably dismissed Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka's new captain and one of their top batters in recent months.
Dilshan Madushanka made an impressive start, delivering a maiden over followed by a double-wicket maiden over. However, runs were being conceded at the other end, with Mitchell Marsh being the primary scorer for Australia. When the swing conditions lessened, Madushanka's threat decreased, and other bowlers couldn't quite match his impact. Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne put on a partnership of 77 runs. Later, Glenn Maxwell contributed with a quick 31 off 21 balls against one of his favorite opponents, helping Australia reach the target with 88 balls to spare.
Marcus Stoinis fittingly sealed the victory with a six.
Result:
Australia won by 5 wickets (88 balls left)