AUS v SL 3rd T20I, Preview: Chance for Sri Lanka to make it 3-0

Australia have had a very tough time in T20Is at home. Last year, they were whitewashed at the hands of team India in the three-match T20I series. Now, they are on the verge of facing another similar crisis with the third T20I against Sri Lanka coming up. Being 0-2 down, the hosts are in a deja vu situation. With all new faces in the side, the national side can only take a defense stand calling itself a second string side.

However, if they wish to savor some pride and manage to stay in the frame of national setup for long, someone needs to step up and perform exceedingly well. All senior members of the side are in India and they will play a different brand of cricket on the day that follows the final T20I game. For the visitors, it is time to go all guns blazing and embark upon a historic win down under.

They have not had the best of the times in the recent past but their T20I performances have been impressive. They had managed to win the T20 series against South Africa too. Now, they have done it again and it is the cherry on top that is due for them.

Team News:

Australia

Australian side will be hoping to tick all their boxes in the final match. The match concludes their home summer for the year. Skipper Aaron Finch needs to play the anchor knock in the match for the hosts to prosper at the Adelaide Oval. Michael Klinger, who was exceptional in the Big Bash this year, is yet to help the national side win a game in the series.

Also read- NZ v SA 2nd ODI, Preview: Hosts look to level series as Proteas aim perfect game

All eyes will be on middle-order batsman Travis Head, though. Head had a brilliant series against Pakistan and had incidentally scored a century at the same venue in one of the ODI fixtures against Pakistan. But in the two matches against Sri Lanka, he has failed miserably. The bowling unit has been bleak too.

Leg spinner Adam Zampa is most likely to be recalled in the lineup for the final showdown. James Faulkner and Moises Henriques have to get their acts together with both bat and ball. Their failure in either of the specialties has been a concern for the national side.

Sri Lanka

Asela Gunaratne’s heroics in the recent T20s have fetched him an IPL deal. Moreover, he was hard to bowl to for the Aussies in the series. Now, with an IPL contract to his name, the Lankan batsman will be in the limelight. Mumbai Indians will keep a close look at the game too to see how their new recruit fares up. For the visitors, most of the boxes have been ticked right. They have batted well and have been good with the ball too.

The return of Lasith Malinga has surely bolstered their unit. Niroshan Dickwella is a certain omission from the side as he was given a two-match ban by the ICC for breaching the code of conduct during the previous match. Milind Siriwardana or Chamara Kapugedara might get a promotion in the batting order. Sachith Pathirana could be a likely replacement for Dickwella in the playing eleven.

The team morale is very high. That is bound to happen, given the form the Sri Lankan team has always shown in the shortest format. Their opener Dilshan Munaweera stressed on the same when he quoted, “If you look at our stats, we’ve been to plenty of finals in the World T20, and we have won once. The format is suited to us, and our boys are on the game.”

Probable XI:

Australia

Aaron Finch (C), Michael Klinger, Ben Dunk, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Ashton Turner, Tim Paine, James Faulkner, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, James Faulkner, Andrew Tye.

Sri Lanka

Dilshan Munaweera, Upul Tharanga (C), Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga, Vikum Sanjaya.

Match Facts:

Venue: Adelaide Oval

Time: 1420 (IST) 0850 (GMT) 1920 (local)

Pitch verdict: Batting track

Weather: Warm and clear

StAttack:

1. Australia have never won a T20I against Sri Lanka in Australia. They have all five previous encounters down under to Sri Lanka.

2. Sri Lanka have never played a T20I at the venue of Adelaide Oval. Australia have played 3 T20Is at the venue but have never won.

3. The only time Australia has ever been whitewashed at home was against India last year in the 3-match T20I series.

4. Australia has not won a single T20I game in Australia since November 2014.