Fantasy Preview: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st T20I

With an eye on the T20 World Cup later this year, Sri Lanka and defending champions Australia kick start the three-match T20 International (T20I) series with the first one set to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Australia, who won the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, have been dominant over Sri Lanka, losing just once in the last three years. Australia have also won the last five encounters against Sri Lanka, making them hot favourites to clinch this match and series as well.

Ground details

RPS, Colombo has not produced high-scoring games in the recent past. The average first innings score in T20Is in the last three years has been 127 and the chasing team has won 67% of the matches. 

The wicket has favoured the spinners, who have scalped 62% of the wickets in the last three years, while pacers have accounted for 38%.

Suggested team

While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.

Captain and vice-captain suggestions:

For Small league: David Warner (c), Wanindu Hasaranga (vc)

For Grand League: Josh Hazlewood (c), Dushmantha Chameera (vc)

Stats that matter

The team batting second has won four out of the last five matches at RPS, Colombo

In his seven matches at RPS, David Warner has struck 156 runs at 31.2 along with a strike-rate of 122.83. This will be his first T20I since winning the player of the tournament in the T20 Word Cup last year. With 432 runs at a strike-rate of 150 in IPL 2022, Warner is in excellent form in this format and will hope to continue churning out runs at the top for Australia this series.

No bowler has picked up more T20I wickets than Wanindu Hasaranga (41) since 2021. He has done so at an average of 12, economy rate of 5.8 and has struck once every 12.4 deliveries.

No fast bowlers have picked up more wickets than Josh Hazlewood and Dushmantha Chameera (Both 31) in T20Is since 2021 among the top 10 teams. While Hazlewood has got his scalps at an economy rate of 6.6 and strike-rate of 12.9, for Chameera, the corresponding numbers are 7.6 and 19.2 respectively.

Grand League punts

Having Chammera in the ranks, especially at RPS may come in handy as he has picked up nine wickets there, which is the best for Sri Lanka bowlers after Haaranga (10). 

Hazlewood has never played a T20I in Sri Lanka but has done admirably well in Asian conditions, where he has picked up 20 wickets from 13 matches at an economy rate of just 6.8.

With 17 in the powerplay since 2021, Josh Hazlewood is the highest wicket-taker in the phase among players from top 10 ranked teams. He has also been good at the death, scalping 10 wickets at 9.1 runs per over.

Chameera too has been quite clinical at the death with the ball. He has struck 14 times in T20Is since 2021 and has given away runs at 8.6 an over. Over 31% of his deliveries have also been dots in this phase.

Predicted XI

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (wk), Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Swepson