WI v SL World T20 Preview: Another Gayle storm looms over defending champions

Sri Lanka will need to keep a check on Chris Gayle as they face the West Indies in the first major test of their defence of the World T20 title. The Jamaican showed his determination and class when he smashed a 47-ball century to lead the West Indies to victory over England on Wednesday. The fact that he plays for the RCB outfit in IPL at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, the venue for this match, makes him a bigger threat for the Asian islanders.

West Indies

Gayle is not the only one who is capable of giving nightmares to the Sri Lankan bowlers. The likes of Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell and skipper Darren Sammy are other who can destroy a bowling attack on their day. Sri Lanka will hope that Sunday isn’t that day. It is likely that the Windies will stick to the same eleven that played against England.

Marlon Samuels is one of eight men still standing from West Indies’ title triumph in 2012. And it was his incredible innings that deflated Sri Lanka and stopped them from becoming world champions at home. He showed glimpses of his class against England and will hope to fire against an opposition he knows well. His duel with Rangana Herath might prove one of the high points of the match.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was under the pump against Afghanistan, however, was helped in the run-chase by a brilliant knock from veteran opener Tillakaratne Dilshan who smashed 83 off 56 balls. His team will hope for another repeat performance from the dashing Dilshan. Captain Angelo Mathews, who replaced injured veteran bowler Lasith Malinga as skipper on tournament eve, was upbeat, saying his side were capable of “doing anything” if they worked together.

Sri Lanka, winners of the last World T20 in Bangladesh two years ago, has been badly weakened since the retirements of star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Slumping to eighth in the T20 rankings, Sri Lanka is also in turmoil after changing their coach and captain in recent weeks and following a disastrous showing at the Asia Cup.  The team though has a brilliant record in world events and Windies won’t take them lightly.

Form guide: (last five completed games most recent first) 

West Indies: WWLLW

Sri Lanka: WLLLW

Pitch and Conditions:

There was a tinge of green to the pitch at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore, but it is unlikely to hamper strokeplay. If anything, it might help the ball come onto the bat quicker. Chasing has been the favoured formula here. The forecast is for a clear day, but a cloudy night.

Probable XI-

West Indies:  Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Dinesh Ramdin (wk), Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Carlos Brathwaite, Samuel Badree, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn.

Sri Lanka:  Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Milinda Siriwardana,  Angelo Mathews (capt), Thisara Perera, Chamara Kapugedera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath.

Stats:

1. Chris Gayle averages 54.37 and strikes at 168.84 at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. He has three tons, eight fifties, 115 fours and 132 sixes.

2. Dilshan leads the Sri Lankan batting charts in T20Is with 1834 runs and has also played for the RCB in Bangalore in IPL.