Sri Lanka, England set for high-stakes clash

By Champika Fernando in Bengaluru

Sri Lanka is leaning towards a three-seamer-one spinner strategy as they look to employ an extra batter against England in their crucial World Cup match at the Chinnasuwamy Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru today.

The venue has a reputation for high-scoring games. Sri Lanka has strengthened the batting unit with Angelo Mathews walking straight into the side after being drafted into the squad on Tuesday.

They are likely to pick seamer Lahiru Kumara to partner with Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha. They will also turn to the part-time seam bowling of Mathews as required. Kumara had an off day against Australia, his only match in the tournament, conceding 47 runs off his four overs. But his ability to clock over 140km/h and has boosted his inclusion. But the other two, Madushanka in particular have been exception, with 11 wickets in four games.

This has forced Sri Lanka to bench spinner Wellalage, as they are to go with one specialist spinner in Maheesh Theekshana. Off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva will fill the part-time spin option.

Theekshana experienced some discomfort in his right hamstring in Lucknow but since has recovered and remains eligible for selection.

Mathews’ return to the side has also left bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne out of the playing XI and has prompted other changes to the batting lineup. The veteran batter, who is playing his fourth World Cup, expects to go in at number six, pushing de Silva to the number seven position.

Although Mathews is making a comeback to white-ball cricket after nearly five months, a world of expectations lies on the shoulders of the 36-year-old batter to steady Sri Lanka’s fragile middle-order batting.

“I’m excited to be back and will give my all towards the team,” he said, a veteran of 221 ODIs. “My aim is to contribute in all departments and help the team reach the semi-final stage, which is our initial goal, and to look ahead from there”.

Mathews said he did not expect this moment after being sidelined initially.

“I didn't expect after the 15 was selected, but it is what it is, the opportunity came again. What I can control is to keep pushing myself individually, in terms of fitness, bowling, batting everything, because when the opportunity comes, I have to be ready. I just did that over the last few months,” Mathews said who hit an unbeaten 85 against England when they met each other at the 2019 World Cup in Leeds.

The latest strategy has its downside. With four specialist bowlers, Sri Lanka will heavily depend on Mathews and de Silva to bowl 10 overs in the match.

There’s no room for error for either team. Both sides have lost three of their opening four matches and, with only the top four sides progressing beyond the group stage, need five wins in their next five games (starting today) to keep some hope of getting into the knock-out stage.

The top order will remain the same with Kusal Janith Perera and Pathum Nissanka at the top, followed by Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrema and Charith Asalanka forming the batting order. Sri Lanka has utilised everyone but Dimuth Karunaratne, the 2019 Captain of the World Cup side, in the squad.

Nissanka has clobbered three consecutive half centuries in the tournament but Perera failed to reach double figures on three occasions.

Only once did they offer a solid opening stand. Against Australia, they stitched a 125-run opening stand but a middle-order collapse gave Australia an easy 210 to chase down. Nissanka has also struggled to convert these starts to something substantial.

“He's aware of it. It's something that he loved to do, to convert those 50s into hundreds. He's working very hard on it and I think once he gets over that hump, you'll see he converts them more and more often,” Chris Silverwood, the Head Coach, said of the 25-year-old batter.

England’s biggest issue lies in their batting with its top order failing to fire. Out of the four games, only once did they score over 300 runs in the tournament which has left them staring at a premature exit from the World Cup.

Moeen Ali, the English all-rounder, said they understood their position well.

“Everything is a must-win and we know we've been in this position before, probably not to this degree, but we know everything is a must-win and we have to get our confidence and perform well and bat and bowl and field better than we have done so far in this tournament,” he said.

Sri Lanka have won all four encounters in the competition against England since 1999. Mathews, when asked whether the defending champions would be under pressure, said it applies to both.

“No, I don’t think so, as both teams currently have the same points and, obviously, England are a very dangerous team so we have to be on our A game,” he said.

Sri Lanka (Probable): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (Captain/wk), Sadeera Samarawickrema, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka.

England (Probable): Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook/Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler (Captain/wk), David Willey/Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes/Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood.