15 October 2024 11:47 am Views - 1319
Sri Lanka will need their top order to succeed, otherwise it would be difficult for them to level the series. Capitalising the powerplay holds importance and the players need to finish well too.
There are a lot of expectations for Wanindu Hasaranga as well, but the all-rounder failed to deliver in the first T20I.
Sri Lanka are unlikely to make any changes to their playing XI. However, if they end up changing the combination, Dunith Wellalage could replace Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
Apart from that, the Sri Lankans would hope the seniors step up for this important game.
Meanwhile, the West Indies, despite not having many seniors in the squad, managed to pick up a win in the last game.
They are unlikely to change their winning combination, which has given them the result in the first T20I.
The West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by nine runs in the first T20I of the series. The hosts failed to get a good start with the bat, which put pressure on the middle order but Captain Charith Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis stitched a strong partnership to bring them back into the contest.
Sri Lanka eventually posted 179 runs on the board, which seemed enough but the West Indies openers stole the show in Dambulla.
Evin Lewis and Brandon King stitched up a 107-run partnership, which sealed the West Indies' fate. Lewis made 50 off 28 deliveries, while King smashed 63 runs off 33. The duo got the job done for the team, but the team needs to address plenty of things ahead of the second T20I.
West Indies’ middle order flopped massively in the first game, which is one area the team management needs to address.
They missed the services of Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell, as all three of them have been rested for the series.
In their absence, the West Indies had Roston Chase, Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford but they failed to impress.