England Vs Sri Lanka, Match Preview
The first ODI went as expected, although there were some minor surprises. Few Sri Lankans put up a fight, and England was left wondering for a brief part of the chase. The batting still collapsed, and the debutants struggled, but the bowling is improving.
Had Kusal Perera held onto a catch, the game might have been closer as the World Cup encounter, but it wasn’t meant to be. He, along with Hasaranga, was the lone warrior with the bat, and both played lively innings. But, despite the situation, they played their shots and gave something for Sri Lanka to bowl at.
For England, the bowling was brilliant. Chris Woakes came into the side after being invisible all winter and pulled off a stunning spell. He bowled five maidens and kept chipping away to disturb Sri Lanka. The bowling depth was on display with David Willey doing a fair job and Adil Rashid fighting hard.
The batting may come as a concern for England, as they had a few ups and downs in the run chase. They are missing some of their regulars and had it not been for Joe Root, England may have been in more trouble. However, his calm head helped England steer the chase home after a few wickets.
England Vs Sri Lanka, Team News
Eoin Morgan’s form continues to worry for England, as he has struggled for a bit now. His scores are a minor headache, but a comeback is expected. Jason Roy might find a place in the next game in Liam Livingstone, while Dawid Malan has also left the squad due to personal reasons. With a busy schedule, England may rotate their bowlers in a bid to manage their workload. They have the Curran brothers on the bench, who could come in at some stage.
A depleted Sri Lankan side lost another three members due to a bubble breach and fielded six debutants in the previous game. The debutants didn’t impact, but they may be relied on again with injuries in the side. The injuries have affected the team’s balance, as Shanuka and Hasaranga are now batting higher than they usually would.
England Vs Sri Lanka, Predicted XIs
England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Sam Billings, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Woakes/Tom Curran, 9 David Willey, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood
Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Kusal Perera (capt, wk), 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Charith Asalanka, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Dasun Shanaka, 6 Wanindu Hasaranga, 7 Dhananjaya Lakshan, 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Chamika Karunaratne, 10 Binura Fernando, 11 Dushmantha Chameera
England Vs Sri Lanka, Players to Watch out for
Joe Root
Joe Root hasn’t had a good time as a Test skipper, but his experience has certainly allowed him to enjoy the first ODI. With England in trouble, his cool head was essential to help get England over the line. He is seen as the anchor in the side and has come up with many critical knocks. Although the format is different, Joe Root may look at these two games to help stake his claim for the T20 side.
Kusal Perera
The England tour has been challenging for Sri Lanka’s captain as his side keeps losing games and players. He lost his senior partners and has carried the batting on his own, while the keeping duties have been pushed onto him. Despite all the responsibility, Kusal Perera has done an excellent job and performs well as a skipper. With the series on the line, he may find ways to step up and fight once again.
England Vs Sri Lanka, Pitch Report
The Oval is a good batting surface, and high runs can be expected in the upcoming encounter. The weather is clear for the day and maybe a little sun as well. So far, four Blast games have been conducted at the Oval, with the chasing side winning all of them. The Blast results may prompt the captains to field after winning the toss.
