SL vs AUS Match Prediction - Who will win today’s 2nd ODI match between Sri Lanka and Australia?

The island nation Sri Lanka (SL) are hosting Australia (AUS) in a two-match ODI series. Notably, the series opener (first ODI) turned out to be a nailbiter which was played on Wednesday, February 12.

Given the ominous form, the Australian side has been in the other formats, and in the follow-up of the Test cricket, another dominant performance was expected from the visitors. The Lankan Lions were already feeling the heat after their recent 0-2 clean sweep in the Test series but turned the tables in the first ODI. While batting first, SL were staring down the barrel at one stage as they were reeling at 55/5. However, Charith Asalanka (127 off 126 balls) led from the front with the bat to bail his side out of trouble and pilot Sri Lanka to a respectable total of 214 in testing conditions.

In reply, their spinners spun a web around a clueless-looking Australian batting, eventually leading to a stunning win by 49 runs. In the second ODI fixture, opener Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis will take some confidence from their skipper and will hope to come good with bat. Given the home conditions up on offer, Sri Lanka will look to exploit the playing conditions in their favour to continue their winning run in the series.

While for Australia, things have been awry given their ongoing injury woes of star players. As a result, the Men in Yellow are forced to play without their three premier pace bowlers. However, the new crop of players viz- Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis are known for subtle variations with the white ball. Given the competitive Australian mindset, there is every chance that Australia will most likely bounce back in the ODI series to find their rhythm ahead of the Champions Trophy. On the batting front, youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk will have a point to prove along with his other teammate, Cooper Connolly.

Match Details

R Premadasa Stadium Pitch Report

The surface of the renowned R Premadasa Stadium is often on the slower side. Hence the spinners will play a major role in the second ODI. The batters will need to spend a considerable time in the middle to get going. Hence with a home advantage and the current form of the spinners, Sri Lanka will feel they have an upper hand over Australia. Therefore the captain winning the toss will be tempted to bat first and try to put up a big total to put the opposition under run-chase pressure at this venue. Notably, Sri Lanka did the same in the first game and reaped the rewards while bowling second. Anything around 280 will be a good total on this surface. On the weather front, some cloud covers are on the cards but it is unlikely to interrupt the game. For most of the game, the weather will remain sunny and the temperatures will range between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Also Read: Sri Lanka vs Australia 2025 News

Head-To-Head Record

SL vs AUS Predicted Playing 11

Sri Lanka:

Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando.

Australia: 

Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cooper Connolly, Matthew Short, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.

SL vs AUS Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Steve Smith

When it is a do-or-die moment, Australian players have the tendency to come out with their best game on the day. Hence, the interim captain Steve Smith has the knack of milking around the runs along with upping the scoring rate as and when needed. Despite failing to score big in the first ODI game, expect the Australian stalwart to come good against the Lankan spinners. Notably, Smith smashed two centuries with an outrageous average of 136 in the recently concluded Test series. Therefore, he will prove to be a key batter, especially in the middle phases of the game for Australia. 

Probable Best Bowler: Maheesh Theekshana

While Sri Lanka put up a collective bowling effort in the first ODI to get the better of Australia, mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana bamboozled the Aussies with variations in pace. As a result, he ended up claiming four wickets along with a maiden over during his bowling spell. However, he missed out on troubling the top order batters of Australia and on Friday, he could control the game to make life harder for the Men in Yellow. Hence he can turn out to be a real deal to force the Aussies to try to dominate him and in the process catch the visitors off guard.

                   Today's Match Prediction: Sri Lanka to win the match

Scenario 1

• Sri Lanka win the toss and opt to bat first
• Powerplay: 40-50
• SL: 260-270
• Sri Lanka win the match

Scenario 2

• Australia win the toss and opt to bat first
• Powerplay: 30-40
• AUS: 230-240
• Sri Lanka win the match

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.