Hasaranga deadly even on flat pitches says Finch 

by Rex Clementine

Australia captain Aaron Finch denied suggestions that his team will start as favourites in the three match T-20 series against Sri Lanka that gets underway next week at RPS. Australia are the reigning World Champions in T-20 cricket while Sri Lanka are ranked lowly ninth. However, Finch said that the opposition is a dangerous unit since they have match winners like Wanindu Hasaranga.Leg-spinner Hasaranga finished last year as world’s highest wicket taker in T-20 cricket and rose up to number one rank. He earned the highest salary by a Sri Lankan in IPL history when Royal Challengers Bangalore paid him US$ 1.3 million. The Richmond College, Galle leggie proved his worth by finishing as the tournament’s second highest wicket taker. Hasarnaga’s 26 scalps was only behind that of fellow leggie Yuzvendra Chahal’s 27. The Indian played one game more than Hasaranga.
“You can not underestimate the Sri Lankan side. We have played some close series over the years and they are a dangerous side. In these conditions especially, they are a formidable unit. Hasaranga in particular has had a couple of unbelievable years. He can be very dangerous as we have seen in the IPL. Even on flat wickets he is a threat,” Finch told the press yesterday as the tourists conducted their first media interaction since arriving in Colombo on Wednesday.
The T-20 series between the countries early this year in Australia was won by the hosts 4-1. Head to head not much of a difference between these sides with Australia winning 12 of the 22 T-20s between them with Sri Lanka winning nine and one game being tied. Finch felt that the exposure received in events like the IPL made his team a better unit and play well in sub-continent conditions. “I suppose we are playing more in sub continent conditions and interacting more with the guys from Asia. The more we play over here; it helps us to develop as a team.”
Last year, Australia won the T-20 World Cup in Dubai and will be defending the title this year at home. They have got a handful of T20 games prior to the World Cup and Finch said selections mostly will be done with the World Cup in mind.
Australian T20 squad:
Aaron Finch (Captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner and Matthew Wade.
Schedule:
June 7: First T20, RPS
June 8: Second T20, RPS
June 11: Third T20, Pallekele
June 14: First ODI, Pallekele
June 16: Second ODI, Pallekele
June 19: Third ODI, RPS
June 21: Fourth ODI, RPS
June 24: Fifth ODI, RPS
June 29 – July 3: First Test, Galle
July 8-12: Second Test, Galle