Australia take on Sri Lanka in their first series after World Cup win

Rival captains Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka) and Aaron Finch (Australia) stand before the Dettol Trophy for which the five-match T20I will be played

The series could turn out to be a duel between wrist spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Adam Zampa

• Execution and winning key moments the key to success, says interim head coach Ratnayake

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Execution at the right moment of time and winning the key moments are what Sri Lanka will be looking for when they front up with T20 World Cup champions Australia in the first of five T20Is beginning at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.  

“Australia are the world champions but that’s not a problem for us. If we win the important moments in the game, we have a better chance of winning. We have to know what our strengths are and play according to it. What is important is our execution at the right moment of time,” said Sri Lanka’s interim head coach Rumesh Ratnayake in a virtual media conference yesterday.

Since their arrival a week back Sri Lanka has been having practices amongst their 20-member squad, but some of the practices have been disrupted by rain which is forecast for today’s game.

“We are well prepared for the series. Whatever little time we had, we did our best to prepare. The first day it rained and we practiced indoors, the second day while practicing it rained again but those are not excuses,” said Ratnayake. 

“We practiced only once at the SCG that was today (Thursday), a day before the match. We got two-and-a-half hours. When you come to Australia you expect good bouncy tracks and even though pace friendly things can change. 

“There is grass on the track but we should not make that a problem. We are adaptable to anything, whatever the wicket is our players will be up to it. Mentally and physically they have to be prepared to take on the best in the world on whatever wicket although the preparation is very little.”

“We are playing the World Cup champions so we have to play the best team possible. Whatever we have here is the best. We will play the tried and tested first rather than experiment with newcomers. Whoever comes in comes as a fully-fledged player, but we will go with the more experienced players.”

Ratnayake did not want to give too many details of the eleven that was going to play today, but said that Dinesh Chandimal would keep wickets in the absence of Kusal Mendis who was reported Covid-19 positive and is isolated from the rest of the team.   

“On the seventh day after being tested positive a PCR test will be done on Kusal on Sunday. If it shows a negative we will do a second PCR test on Monday and if he is okay, he will be available for selection for the third T20I on Sunday 15 February,” said Ratnayake.

The series could also turn out to be a duel between the pair of wrist spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Adam Zampa and shape as one of the campaigns most appealing match-ups.

The Australians were of the view that Zampa, three spots behind Hasaranga on the ICC T20I bowling rankings, should have been named player-of-the-tournament at the T20 World Cup they won in November for his 13 wickets and economy rate of 5.81. Hasaranga, who is also a handy lower-order batter had more victims than the Australian (playing one extra game) and taking 16 wickets and only going at 5.20.

The series marks not only the first campaign of the post-Justin Langer era, but also the T20 side's first matches since the World Cup win.

Australia are going into today’s game with a 7-4 combination the same they used in their successful World Cup campaign. Josh Inglis will make his international debut replacing Mitch Marsh at no. 3. The Big Bash League’s leading run-scorer Ben McDermott will open the batting in place of David Warner in the only two changes Australia have made from the eleven that won the T20 World Cup last November in Dubai. Warner and Marsh have been rested from the series.

Teams

nAustralia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head*, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, and Adam Zampa (*unavailable for first three matches)

nSri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, and Shiran Fernando