Depleted Sri Lanka seek Mathews lift

Match facts

June 08, 2017
Start time 1030 local (0930 GMT)

Angelo Mathews is likely to play as a specialist batsman © AFP

Big picture

Truth be told, Sri Lanka have often had the knack of winding up in the “easy group” in world tournaments. In years gone by, this has meant being clubbed with perhaps England and Bangladesh. They used to skip casually through the group stages, and would generally make a strong push in the back end of a tournament as well. Between 2009 and 2014, Sri Lanka made six ICC tournament semi-finals. Between 2007 and 2014, they played in five major finals.

They find themselves in what appears to be the easier of the two groups again, but unusually, they are not sauntering past their opponents. This time, they seem to be among the weaker teams, laying down like stepping stones for other sides to trod on. South Africa have already been given their 96-run win. Now come the other heavyweights in the group, India, who in demolishing Pakistan, and eviscerating their two warm-up opponents, barely seemed to be breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, India have settled on an ODI formula that teams have struggled to upset for now. They are unambitious in the opening 10 overs, venturing no more than 49 during the first Powerplay on average, since the last World Cup. Then, typically with Virat Kohli at the crease, comes a sustained middle-overs surge which yields screeds of brisk but risk-free runs, which form the backbone of the innings. Then, with Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya or MS Dhoni marshalling the death overs, the team eclipses 300 and set themselves up in an imposing position.

There is quality in India’s attack too, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar gleaning swing with the new ball, and Jasprit Bumrah closing innings out. And whatever the present situation between coach Anil Kumble and captain Kohli, on-field performance does not appear to have been affected yet.

Sri Lanka will have to spring a major surprise at The Oval. They need an Angelo Mathews mauling, or a Lasith Malinga charge to derail India, and shake the match from the course most expect it to take. They have lost Upul Tharanga from the top order, but perhaps they will see the loss as an opportunity.

With Kusal Perera now likely to partner Niroshan Dickwella at the top of the order, Sri Lanka may do well to consider the outstanding position they might be in, if that rocket-fueled partnership stays intact for a good 15 overs. The likelihood of both those men surviving that long is slim, but upon such margins do Sri Lanka’s hopes rest.

They are also sweating over the fitness of Chamara Kapugedara, who injured himself at training on match eve. The team management will wait for the results of an MRI scan before making the final call. With Tharanga also serving a two-match suspension, it is more than likely they could go into the game with a batsman short.

Form guide

Sri Lanka LWLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
India WLWWW

In the spotlight

As evidenced in the game against South Africa, Sri Lanka have had trouble rotating the strike during the middle overs, and it appears part of the reason is the scoring rate of Dinesh Chandimal. Though he had an outstanding 2016, hitting six half-centuries in seven innings at one stage, he has otherwise been modest in the format. Among the 20 players to have faced more than 4000 balls since the start of 2010, Chandimal’s strike rate of 74.85 is the second-lowest. More than 48% of the deliveries he faces are not scored from.

Few world batsmen relish playing Sri Lanka more than MS Dhoni. Two of his most memorable innings – the World Cup final knock, and the final-over blitz in the 2013 tri-series in the Caribbean – have come against them. His average of 61.35 is also, by a distance, his highest against any opponent in the Champions Trophy. Over 22% of his 9275 runs have also come against Sri Lanka alone. Even if Sri Lanka’s bowlers can be penetrative early on, on Thursday, they cannot relax until they have dismissed perhaps their greatest tormentor of recent years.

Team news

If Kapugedara is ruled out, Sri Lanka will probably have to bat Thisara Perera at No. 7. So conservative have they been with their selections in the past two years, there is a chance they will also pick Seekkuge Prasanna in the XI – who is a better batsman than Lakshan Sandakan, but is less of a wicket-taking threat. The frontline pace trio of Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal may remain together.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Kusal Perera 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Seekkuge Prasanna, 9 Suranga Lakmal,10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Nuwan Pradeep

India may consider bringing R Ashwin into the attack – in place of Umesh Yadav perhaps – but as the surface has a little grass on it on the eve of the match, they are more than likely to remain unchanged.

India (possible) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Kedar Jadhav, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

Signs are that the surface might be a little seam-friendly early on, but there are likely to be plenty of runs nonetheless. The weather is forecast to be cloudy but dry, with the temperature hovering around the high teens.

Stats and trivia

• In the last 17 matches between these sides, going back to 2012, India have won 14
• Though Sri Lanka often get a good start in the first Powerplay, their run rate of 5.01 between overs 11 and 40 is the slowest for any team in the tournament
• Runs against Sri Lanka comprise a greater percentage of Kohli’s overall tally than even for Dhoni. Of Kohli’s 7836 career runs, almost 24% has come against Sri Lanka.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Source: ESPN Crickinfo