Sri Lanka plays Zimbabwe in the second ODI in Colombo on Sunday. The first ODI ended in a no-result due to rain denying the Lankans from taking the lead in the series after being in a favorable position to win the match.
Sri Lanka scored 273 with the bat and had Zimbabwe reeling at 12/2 before the rain came down. Relentless rain meant that the umpires had to call off the match. This makes the last two games must-win games for both teams if the weather permits.
Charith Aslanka scored a ton and played an important role in taking Sri Lanka to that score. However, the weather conditions played spoilsport and the match ended with no-result. The weather conditions for the second ODI do not look good either with a 70 percent chance of rain.
Heading into this series, Sri Lanka are placed seventh in the ICC ODI rankings and their opponents Zimbabwe are placed 11th. The Lankasn endured a tough 2023 losing the Asia Cup 2023 final against India and then just winning two games in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Sri Lanka’s subdued performance in the World Cup led the thinktank to change captains across formats. The selection committee led by Upul Tharanga named three different cations across formats for the national team. Kusal Mendis will lead in ODIs, Wanindu Hasaranga in T20Is and Dhananjaya de Silva in T20Is.
With the first match getting washed out, Sri Lanka are unlikely to make any changes. Meanwhile, as per latest reports, Pathum Nissanka has been ruled out of the three-match series with dengue. There are doubts over Hasaranga’s availability for the second ODI as well after he missed the first game.
Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Zimbabwe – 2nd ODI, 2024
Avishka Fernando
Fernando was out for a duck in the first ODI. He will continue to open the batting for Sri Lanka The promising opener has played 30 ODIs and is closing in on 1000 ODI runs for the national side. With Nissanka out, he is likely to open the batting.
Kusal Mendis (C/WK)
Mendis opened the batting in the last game and scored 46 in his first knock as captain. The Sri Lanka skipper should open the batting in the second ODI as well. The keeper-batter was named as Sri Lanka’s full-time ODI skipper replacing Dasun Shanaka. Mendis scored 294 runs in the recently concluded World Cup.
Sadeera Samarawickrama
The right-handed batter will slot in at three. He scored 41 in the first ODI. Mendis and Sadeera are the two best batters in Sri Lankan white-ball sides at the moment. He was Sri Lanka’s top-scorer in the World Cup with 373 runs from nine matches at an average of 53.29.
Charith Asalanka
Asalanka scored his third ODI ton in the first ODI with 101 off 85 balls. He has been named the vice-captain of the ODI and T20I squads. The southpaw will need to bat well in the second ODI.
Janith Liyanage
Liyanage will bat at five. He scored 34 on his ODI debut but did not get his opportunity with the ball as the second innings was cut short due to rain. He should get a longer run in ODIs.
Dasun Shanaka
The former Sri Lankan skipper will slot in at six. He scored just 8 in the first ODI. Shanaka was sacked as captain heading into this series replaced by Kusal Mendis in ODIs and Wanindu Hasaranga in T20Is.
Sahan Arachchige / Dunith Wellalage
Another batting all-rounder Sahan Arachchige will bat at seven. He has played three ODIs and already has scored a fifty in ODI cricket. He has also taken one wicket in ODIs. Sri Lanka can replace him with Dunith Wellalage if they want to.
Maheesh Theekshana
Theekshana will bat at eight. He has proven handful with the bat in the past and will be the lead spinner in the side. He did not get a chance to bowl in the previous match. He played the World Cup for Sri Lanka picking up just six wickets from 8 games.
Dushmantha Chameera
Chameera will lead the pace attack. He missed the early phase of the World Cup with injury and returned to play four games in the World Cup in which he picked up just two wickets. He will look to start the new year on a good note.
Dilshan Madushanka
Madushanka will be the second pacer in the XI. He was recently picked up by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 auction after his World Cup exploits. He picked up 21 wickets in the tournament. He took the two early wickets in the first ODI.
Jeffrey Vandersay
Vandersay concludes the likely XI for Sri Lanka in the second ODI, He and Theekshana were the two specialist spinners selected in the first game and will get another go.
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