Beleaguered Sri Lanka look to pull one back

Sri Lanka would hope for a better show from their batters in the third and final T20I in Southampton.

Two modest totals and two losses – Sri Lanka’s sorry tale in the three-match T20I series against the formidable England side. In the first game, Sri Lanka ended up with 129 for 7, and in the next match, the visitors could muster only 111 for 7. It is true that the conditions for both the matches in Cardiff were tricky, but Sri Lanka would hope for a better show from their batters in the third and final T20I in Southampton.

If Sri Lanka have to pull one back, the visitors’ batting unit would have to find a way to counter Mark Wood. The fast bowler troubled the Sri Lankan middle order with his extreme pace in the middle overs in the second T20I. Amidst the doom and gloom, the bright spot for Sri Lanka in the second game was their pace bowling. In relatively helpful conditions, their tall pacemen – Binura Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera – found movement and bowled zestful spells to pick up early wickets. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga also made his presence felt in Thursday’s game.

On the other hand, England have most of the bases covered. However, they would be a tad concerned by the top order collapse in the second match. At one point of time, the hosts were in a spot of bother at 36 for 4. Sam Billings and Liam Livingstone then joined forces and played more of attritional cricket – a brand of cricket that isn’t exactly associated with the current England limited overs side – to help them recover.

One of the concerns in their batting order would be the form of Dawid Malan. Since cracking an unbeaten 99 in South Africa, he has mostly struggled to notch up big scores in the shortest format. Even in the second T20I, he was caught on the shuffle and was trapped in front by Chameera. England, though, would be pleased with the form of their bowlers, especially Wood, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid. Livingstone too has chipped in with the occasional scalp in the series.

Teams

Sri Lanka (Probable):

Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera (c), Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando.

England (Probable):

Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes/David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.