• 14 of 16 players from the WC winning team
• Third ODI will mark 100th Sri Lanka-Australia match

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Australia, the current T20 World Cup champions arrived in Sri Lanka for a three-match series commencing 7 June at the R. Premadasa Stadium, and along with them were members of the Australian one-day team that will play a five-match ODI series beginning 14 June at Pallekele.

Leading the two white ball teams is opening bat Aaron Finch, who will be keen to repeat the success they had on their last tour to Sri Lanka in 2016 when David Warner was the captain and they won the ODI series 4-1 and the T20I series 2-0.

The third ODI at the RPS on 19 June will be of historic significance because it will mark the 100th match between Sri Lanka and Australia. Of the 97 ODIs played so far since 1975, Australia leads with 61 wins to 32 by Sri Lanka with four matches ending in a no-result.

The tour which commences with the T20I series will see Sri Lanka at heavy odds against an Australian side that has 14 of the 16 players who played in their World Cup winning squad in the UAE where they beat New Zealand in the final in November last year. 

Further, six of their players, David Warner (Delhi Capitals), Matthew Wade (champions Gujarat Titans), Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Giants), Josh Hazelewood and Glenn Maxwell (both Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Sean Abbott (Sunrisers Hyderabad) are fresh from a stint in the recently concluded IPL.

Sri Lanka too, have six players who have returned from the IPL namely, Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana (both from Chennai Super Kings), Chamika Karunaratne (Kolkata Knight Riders), Dushmantha Chameera (Lucknow Super Giants), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Punjab Kings), Wanindu Hasaranga (Royal Challengers Bangalore). But thereafter the comparison of the two sides ends.

Sri Lanka’s T20I form has been rather erratic to say the least having suffered 4-1 and 3-0 defeats at the hands of Australia and India this year. Their current ICC ranking at nine only confirms the level to which the former T20 World Cup champions’ standards have declined. Australia on the other hand is ranked fifth and being the current World Cup holders will have a clear advantage over the hosts. Since winning the T20 World Cup, Australia has defeated Sri Lanka 4-1 and Pakistan 1-0 in this format, and look a formidable side where adjusting to conditions have become just a mere formality for them, like they showed on their last tour of the subcontinent to Pakistan in April. Sri Lanka’s standing in the ODI rankings is also not encouraging, being placed eighth in comparison to Australia who are third and in the ICC Cricket World Super League currently placed seventh with Australia fourth.  

For quite some time Sri Lanka’s performance in the white ball formats have been rather below par and beating a full-strength Australian side means they will have to play out of their skins.

AUSTRALIA T20 SQUAD: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

AUSTRALIA ODI SQUAD: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.

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