- Sep 27, 2014
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- AFL Club
- Essendon
From the beautiful city of Brisbane. Australia lead the 3-match series 1-0.
7:10pm AEDT on Fox Cricket.
An upbeat Sri Lanka went to Australia threatening to continue their outstanding Pakistan form, but like a skyrocket that veers off and flies through the neighbour's open window, they only managed to wreak the most alarming - though spectacular - type of damage. It is difficult to imagine how the Adelaide match could have gone any worse. Kasun Rajitha's record 0 for 75 made headlines, but the spinners also went at more than 10 an over, and Lasith Malinga went wicketless. On the batting front, no one made 20. Sri Lanka have had some limp limited-overs performances in the past two years, but this was among the very worst.
Australia don't exactly have the record of an ace T20 side, having won only two of their seven most-recent series, but may have reason to consider themselves one of the best outfits in the world, with the return of David Warner and Steve Smith. Plenty is known about the explosive top three - Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell rounding it out - but there is a cohesive attack there too. On Sunday, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins essentially ended what slim chances Sri Lanka had of chasing down a gargantuan target, by blasting out the top three inside four overs. Sri Lanka could then barely get the Australian spinners off the square, and surrendered a clump of wickets to the wristspinner Adam Zampa, as they often do.
One year out from the T20 World Cup at home, Australia seem like they have the building blocks of a strong team at their disposal. When they arrived in Australia, Sri Lanka thought they had building blocks too. They have the galling challenge of winning in Brisbane if they are to avoid not only a series loss, but also talk of the Pakistan series having been a false dawn.
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Mitchell Starc will miss the second T20 to attend his high-jump champion brother's wedding. Billy Stanlake will likely play in his stead.
Australia (possible): 1 David Warne, 2 Aaron Finch (capt.), 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Billy Stanlake
Sri Lanka will likely leave Rajitha out and get Isuru Udana into the XI. They may also consider dropping the out-of-form Kusal Perera for Niroshan Dickwella.
Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Kusal Mendis, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Oshada Fernando, 5 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt.), 11 Nuwan Pradeep
Match Preview Australia vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I 2019 | ESPNcricinfo.com
Read and watch preview for 2nd T20I 2019, Sri Lanka tour of Australia 2019/20 only on ESPNcricinfo.comwww.espncricinfo.com
7:10pm AEDT on Fox Cricket.
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