ODI World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka’s strongest predicted playing XI for the tournament

The Sri Lankan (SL) team will be eager to do well in the ICC World Cup 2023 which begins in India. The tournament will start on October 5, 2023, with England taking on New Zealand in the opening encounter. The final will be played on November 19. A total of 10 teams will be playing in the round-robin format in a total of 48 matches across 10 venues in India. It will be the first time India will be the solo host of the World Cup tournament, after having hosted the tournament in partnership with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 1987, 1996 and 2011. Meanwhile Sri Lankan team will be one of the underdogs going into the World Cup given the injury setbacks they suffered ahead of the tournament. The 1996 World Cup winners will be without two of the premier bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera in this tournament. Hasaranga is out due to a grade three tear in the hamstring, while Chameera is suffering from a shoulder injury. This meant that the Lankan Lions had to make a few tweaks in their squad for the World Cup 2023. In the same vein, here's Sri Lanka’s strongest predicted playing XI for ODI World Cup 2023: 1. Kusal Perera Kusal Perera. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) The experienced Kusal Perera returned to the Sri Lankan side after a brief hiatus and showed his aggressive intent in the Asia Cup 2023. Though he didn’t get many runs, Sri Lanka will be more than happy to have him at the top of the batting order. His aggressive style of play is perfect in powerplay overs. He is equally devastating against spin and pace. Perera has played 109 ODIs for Sri Lanka since his debut in 2013. He has scored 3088 runs at an average of 31.19 and a strike rate of 92.51. He has made 6 centuries and 15 fifties with a highest score of 135. 2. Pathum Nissanka Pathum Nissanka. (Photo Source: Twitter/ICC) Pathum Nissanka has become a vital part of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs setup since his debut in 2021. The right-handed batter has 1396 runs in 40 ODIs with a best score of 137. He averages 37.72 and has a strike rate of 83.64 with 3 centuries to his name. Nissanka can form a very dangerous pair at the top with Kusal Perera for Sri Lanka. Like Perera, Nissanka also doesn’t let any loose ball get away and is also very aggressive against spin. If he spends a bit of time in the middle, he is capable of doing some serious damage. 3. Kusal Mendis (C) Kusal Mendis. ({Photo Source: ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) Kusal Mendis is the glue that holds the Sri Lankan batting together. He is also the vice-captain and the wicketkeeper of the Lankan team. The diminutive right-hander has all the skills to score risk-free runs for his team. The no.3 slot is a very important one and hence Mendis has been given the responsibility of shouldering the Lankan batting. He scores runs effortlessly and runs well behind the wickets. His record speaks for himself, as in 112 ODIs, he has 3215 runs. He has 2 centuries thus far, with a best score of 119 and an average of 32.15. Sri Lanka will depend on him a lot given his current form with the bat and even his vital inputs while keeping wickets. 4. Sadeera Samarawickrama Sadeera Samarawickrama . (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) Sadeera Samarawickrama is a keeper-batter in aggressive mode. He has been part of the Sri Lankan team in ODIs since 2017. In all in 23 50-over matches, Samarawickrama has scored 615 runs with a best of 93 at a strike rate of 90.30. His recent performances in the Asia Cup 2023 tournament have made him a must-have in Sri Lanka XI for the World Cup. His 93 against Bangladesh helped the Lankans put up a decent total in Colombo. But his best knock came in the do-or-die clash against Pakistan. He scored 48 and with Charith Asalanka, took Sri Lanka to the win. 5. Dhananjaya de Silva Dhananjaya de Silva. (Photo Source: Albert Perez-ICC/ICC via Getty Images) Dhananjaya de Silva is the master of all trades for Sri Lanka and his presence in the middle order gives a sense of security to the whole team. He is a proper all-rounder for the team. He has 1725 runs in 82 ODI matches with 10 fifties to his name. He has taken 44 wickets as well at an economy of 4.95. De Silva is not an aggressive batter but believes in accumulating his runs at a fast pace without hitting the big shots. He is in the mould of Russell Arnold, a fighter who never gives up, whether with the bat or the ball. He can be very helpful if Sri Lanka loses early wickets. Check Here: Most Runs in ODI World Cup 2023 6. Charith Asalanka Charitha Asalanka. (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) Charith Asalanka recorded his name in Sri Lanka's cricketing history thanks to his amazing knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup must-win match. His 49* enabled Sri Lanka to chase down 252 runs and win by 1 wicket via DLS method. This helped them reach the final of the tournament. Asalanka is a left-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler. He has 1272 runs in 41 ODIs with one century and 9 fifties to his name. He averages 41.03 and has a strike rate of 89.26. 7. Chamika Karunaratne Chamika Karunaratne. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images) With Dasun Shanaka out of the World Cup due to injury, Charith Karunaratne has emerged as the most suitable like-for-like replacement for the Sri Lanka captain. With 443 runs to his name in 23 matches, Karunaratne is more than capable of taking Sri Lanka to a winning total. Not just with the bat, but Karunaratne is also a capable bowler. In 23 ODI matches, the right-arm medium-fast bowler has taken 24 wickets with a best of 4/43. 8. Dunith Wellalage Dunith-Wellalage. (Photo Source: Twitter/ICC) Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage was a surprise package in the Asia Cup 2023. He impressed everyone with his spin bowling and also contributed with the bat to his team’s causes. The 20-year-old has little baggage and can be a good alternative for Hasaranga, doing his duties in the middle overs. He stunned everyone with his fifer against India in the Asia Cup. He was unfazed by the pressure of playing a big team and was composed with the bat as well. In the little that we have seen of Wellalage, he has shown his best qualities while surrounded by important events rather than being intimidated by them. 9. Maheesh Theekshana Maheesh Theekshana Sri Lanka. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Maheesh Theekshana will lead the Sri Lankan spin attack in absence of Wanindu Hasaranga. He has had a good outing in ODIs in 2023. In 15 matches, he has 31 wickets with a best of 4/25 and an economy of 4.50. Check: Most Wickets in Cricket World Cup 2023 His finger spin is mysterious and often fools the batter by bowling straighter ones. As a result, this creates a dilemma for the batters to figure out whether the ball will spin or not. Theekshana overall has 44 wickets in 27 ODIs for Sri Lanka. 10. Kasun Rajitha Kasun Rajitha. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP) (Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images) Kasun Rajitha is known for his notable performances in the ODIs. In his career spanning 30 matches, he has showcased his bowling prowess with 30 wickets to his credit. Rajitha has bowled 1347 deliveries, conceding 1357 runs at an average of 33.92. His best bowling figures in an innings stand at 4/50, displaying his ability to take crucial wickets under pressure. With an economy rate of 6.04 runs per over, Rajitha has demonstrated an impressive level of control and consistency in restricting the opposition's scoring rate. His bowling strike rate of 33.6 highlights his effectiveness in claiming wickets at regular intervals, making him a valuable asset for the Sri Lankan team. Rajitha's contributions have been instrumental in maintaining the pressure on the opposition and providing crucial breakthroughs during important matches. While he hasn't yet achieved significant milestones such as five-wicket hauls, his consistent performances have solidified his position as a reliable and skilled bowler for the Sri Lankan cricket team. With Sri Lanka's ODI World Cup chances dwindling by a thread, Rajitha could steer the team to a series of wins that could keep their hopes alive. 11. Dilshan Madushanka Dilshan Madushanka. (Photo Source: X(Twitter) Dilshan Madushanka has displayed promising performances in ODIs. With 10 ODI appearances to his name, Madushanka has showcased his bowling abilities by claiming 21 wickets in 492 deliveries. He has conceded 454 runs at an average of 21.62, demonstrating his effectiveness in containing the opposition's scoring rate. His best bowling figures in an innings stand at 4/49, underlining his potential to deliver crucial breakthroughs during key moments of the game. With an economy rate of 5.54 runs per over and an impressive bowling strike rate of 23.43, Madushanka has proven to be a valuable asset for the Sri Lankan ODI squad. As he continues to refine his skills and gain experience, Madushanka remains a promising prospect for the future of Sri Lankan cricket and hence he could be the player to light up the ODI World Cup for Sri Lanka. Also See: ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 Points Table

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ODI World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka’s strongest predicted playing XI for the tournament

Here is Sri Lanka's strongest predicted playing XI for the ODI World Cup 2023.

3. Kusal Mendis (C)

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