As the Super 12 stage began with the Trans-Tasman battle, we would see Sri Lanka taking on Ireland in the third game of the Super 12 stage. Both the teams, Sri Lanka and Ireland, have qualified for the Super 12 stage by playing the Qualifiers round. Both the teams are facing each other after back-to-back wins and would be high on confidence.
Overview
Sri Lanka - The Asia cup champions had a task cut out before making it to the Super 12 stage. They lost to Namibia in the first match and were one loss away from the Qualifiers stage exit. But they came back well, won their next two games against the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands respectively, and made it to the Super 12 stage. They have a balanced squad though. An aggressive opener in Kusal Mendis and an anchor in Pathum Nissanka. The middle order, although inconsistent, is one to reckon with. The likes of Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, and Dasun Shanaka are all match-winners on their day. Wanindu Hasaranga brings balance to the side with his batting capabilities and exceptional spin bowling. The bowling might be tested in the Super 12 stage. Although Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana and Lahiru Kumara are good on their own, they've to perform as a unit. Dushmantha Chameera might be missed by Sri Lanka, given how experienced he is and his recent improvement in T20 internationals.
Ireland - Much like Sri Lanka, even they lost the first match. After losing to Sikandar Raza's brilliance, they had a tough task against Scotland. But courtesy of a sensational All-around performance from Curtis Campher, they came back roaring and chased 177. In a must-win game against two-time World T20 champions West Indies, they were at their best. Their bowlers choked the batters of WI and the batters chased down the target pretty comfortably. They would be high on confidence given their big win. They have some quality batters in their lineup like Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Harry Tector, and Lorcan Tucker. George Dockrell is a good bowling All-rounder in their lineup. But Curtis Campher is their man that brings balance to the side. Someone who can genuinely win matches both with the bat and with the ball. Their bowling is pretty good as well with the likes of Joshua Little, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Gareth Delany, and Simi Singh in their lineup. All they need is the belief to play as a team and win against the top T20 teams in the world.
Probable Playing XIs
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Dasun Shanaka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara.
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (C), Lorcan Tucker (WK), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, and Joshua Little.
Pitch/Weather Report
The match will be played at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart. The matches in the Qualifiers stage saw slow wickets at the venue. The straight boundaries are so long and the side boundaries are small. The batters would be targeting the square region. The bowlers might look to bowl as full as possible. Both the pacers and the spinners would be in the game.
The forecast, unfortunately, isn't great though. The maximum temperature for the game would be 15°C and the minimum temperature can go as low as 9°C. There is a high chance (70%) of rain interrupting the game. The conditions might be windy. So swing bowlers might fancy their chances.
Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Date and Time: 23rd Oct 2022, Sunday, 9:30 AM (IST).
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network and Disney Plus Hotstar.
Interesting Facts
- Head to Head: Both teams have faced each other twice in the shortest format of the game. Sri Lanka has won both encounters against Ireland.
- Kusal Mendis is 61 runs away from completing 1000 T20 international runs.
- Dhananjaya De Silva is 6 runs away from completing 500 T20 international runs.
- Joshua Little would be playing his 50th T20 international game.
- Paul Stirling is the fifth-highest run-getter in T20 internationals (3085 runs).
- Wanindu Hasaranga's numbers in the T20 world cups are simply exceptional so far. He has the best bowling average (9.52), second-best economy (5.21), and best bowling strike rate (10.9) for a bowler in T20 world cups with a minimum of 15 wickets.
Dream 11 team
Wanindu Hasaranga (Captain)
Curtis Campher (Vice Captain)
Kusal Mendis
Paul Stirling
Charith Asalanka
George Dockrell
Maheesh Theekshana
Binura Fernando
Lahiru Kumara
Gareth Delany
Mark Adair
