Karunaratne replaces Shanaka as Sri Lanka take on Australia today

Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka (L) and Matheesha Pathirana will miss their ICC Cricket World Cup fixture against Australia today

By Champika Fernando in Lucknow

Bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne will make his World Cup debut against Australia today after skipper Dasun Shanaka was ruled out of the World Cup with a quadricep tear in his right thigh.

Karunaratne has not played at the highest level since April this year. He was travelling with the team as a reserve, and the injury to the skipper meant selectors had no choice but to include him in the playing XI to face the ‘wounded’ Australians.

In Shanaka’s absence, Kusal Mendis, who was Shanaka’s deputy, will step up to lead the side. Mendis has been in terrific form so far in the tournament, scoring 198 runs in two innings (76 and 122), and he will play a key role if Sri Lanka are to reverse their fortunes in the tournament.

Shanaka’s absence will not cause huge concern for the Lankans, as the injured captain is going through a lean patch with the bat, although he notched up a half-century against South Africa. His captaincy, too, is under scrutiny. He was to be removed from the slot for the World Cup, but a last-minute change of heart by the selectors saw him continuing to lead the side.
Matheesha Pathirana, the 20-year-old bowler with a sling-arm action, has also been ruled out of today’s game with an inflammation of his bowling arm. He might have been left out anyway after conceding 185 runs in the first two games. In his absence, the selectors have the option of bringing in Kasun Rajitha, who was dropped for the Hyderabad game, or handing a World Cup debut to Lahiru Kumara, the right-arm quick, to partner Dilshan Madushanka, who holds his place in the side after some decent performances in the tournament.
Barring Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka’s top-order has been firing, and they might consider making a change at the top of the order, bringing test-opener Dimuth Karunaratne if it is decided to bench the misfiring Perera. Karunaratne, who played a key role in Zimbabwe as Sri Lanka fought successfully in the Qualifiers to book their ticket to India, has been waiting in the wings for the opportunity as the team think-tank opted for the more flamboyant opener for the first two games.

Sri Lanka and Australia are on the same page, both searching for their maiden win in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Sri Lanka scored over 300 runs in both the opening games, but their depleted bowling attack failed to stop the run flow, conceding as many as 773 off 98.2 overs bowled so far in the tournament.
For Aussies, their batting has been the biggest concern. In both games, played against hosts India and Pakistan, they were bowled out for 199 and 177. Come Monday, they will hope their famed batting unit will finally hit form to give them their first win.

To Australia’s advantage, they have local knowledge about the conditions at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. It was the venue for their second game against South Africa, and the re-laid pitch had appeared to be a touch slower in that game. The Australian skipper admitted it’s hard to read pitches in India.
“Find these wickets hard to read as well. Like, sometimes they look terrible and they play beautifully, and the opposite. Sometimes they look flat, and they end up spinning. So, it is tough. You just have to adapt on the fly sometimes,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference at the Ekana Stadium yesterday.
This will be to Sri Lanka’s liking, and they will be hoping the Lucknow pitch takes a bit of turn to make their life a bit easier than it is on flat tracks, where batters have taken them to cleaners.

The last time Sri Lanka beat Australia in a World Cup match was in the final of 1996; never since. And Australia are on a six-match winning streak against the islanders since then in World Cups. When they last played in a bilateral series over 12 months ago, Sri Lanka beat them 3-2 in a five-match series in Sri Lanka.

Australia made two changes in their last game, replacing wicketkeeper Alex Carey with Josh Inglis and Cameron Green with Marcus Stonis. Inglis and Stonis might get another go today.
“I dare say there won’t be too many changes,” Cummins responded when asked whether they are settled with the XI.
Both teams had training sessions yesterday, where the Australians practiced in the early afternoon while Sri Lanka had their session under lights.

Teams:

Sri Lanka Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera/Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (c, wk), Sadeer Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara/Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

Australia team from: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa