SERIES VICTORY, VALUABLE SUPER LEAGUE POINTS ON OFFER FOR SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka recorded a comfortable five wicket win in the first ODI

BY SHEHAN DANIEL

With valuable Super League points on offer, Sri Lanka will take on Zimbabwe in the second ODI of the three-match series in Pallekele today. Victory in the first ODI on Sunday moved Sri Lanka into the top eight teams in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, the threshold within which teams need to be in if they are to qualify directly to the Cricket World Cup in India next year.

Though currently sitting in fifth, the value of every win from here on will be of significance for Sri Lanka, having already completed a majority of their Super League campaign with just five wins in 16 matches.

That Sunday’s win kicked their Super League campaign back into gear wouldn’t be the only thing that pleased Sri Lanka, who recorded a convincing five wicket win, but also that they did it without some of their more recognized players, especially in the bowling department. While there was no injury update on fast bowler Chamika Gunasekera, who debuted on Sunday, Sri Lanka could be boosted by the return of Dushmantha Chameera, consequent to him being cleared following a bout of Covid-19. If neither is available, Sri Lanka could turn to sling-arm bowler Nuwan Thushara or Shiran Fernando, both yet uncapped at international level. But outside of that, Sri Lanka will likely remain unchanged, considering the contributions made by the team that featured in Sunday’s win. Half centuries from Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka ensured Sri Lanka were always afloat as they chased a venue-record target with key partnerships. Bowling wise, captain Dasun Shanaka shuffled through every option available to him, with most going at under 6 runs an over.

Chamika Karunaratne, who finished with 3 for 69, would also have been part of that group of bowlers, had his last two overs being hammered for 27 runs. For Zimbabwe, the final total of 296 for 9 perhaps undermined what came before, with strong top order partnerships, but so in control were Sri Lanka in the chase that it perhaps would not have been enough even with a couple of dozen extra runs to chase.