England vs. Sri Lanka: Can Kusal Mendis Stop a Total English Annihilation?
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Sri Lanka Enter Desperate Rescue Mission in Durham
After suffering a painful 3-0 whitewash on the T20I leg of their tour to England - which included consecutive defeats in Southampton, Cardiff, and Manchester - Sri Lanka are now facing a massive task to salvage matters in the ODI format of the series.
Under the spotlight is their newly appointed ODI captain Kusal Mendis, who must figure out a way to rally a deflated squad to prevent total English annihilation on what promises to be a lightning-fast pitch at the Banks Homes Riverside.
The last week has exposed a serious gulf in class between these two sides!
England did not just beat Sri Lanka in the T20Is; they completely dismantled them. After recording a 119-run victory in the opening game, the Poms continued going up a gear, hunting down meagre targets in 12.1 and 9.4 overs, respectively, in the next two matches.
As mentioned in our cricket predictions, off-field expectations among travelling fans are also dwindling, given Sri Lanka’s poor track record in the 50-over format in recent years, highlighted by their failure to qualify for the Champions Trophy last year.
Kusal Mendis Under Pressure Against England’s New-Look Lineup
Kusal Mendis sits at the centre of a raging storm. Newly elected to lead Sri Lanka, he now needs to find a way to shield a fragile batting lineup containing Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka from a firing English pace attack in the opening ODI.
Mendis’ role will be to anchor the top order himself, while also trying to get the most from his bowlers, particularly Dushmantha Chameera. If the captain can produce a big knock or receive a burst from his bowlers, it could be the much-needed spark the team needs to challenge.
In contrast, the mood in the English camp under the leadership of Harry Brook is one of boundless confidence. Having already beaten Sri Lanka in their own backyard earlier this year, the hosts enter today’s contest full of optimism and dynamic batting depth.
The return of veteran Joe Root gives them the ideal foundation for their explosive middle-order hitters like Jos Buttler. Even with star spinner Adil Rashid ruled out, the sheer depth at Brook’s disposal makes his side massive favourites to pick up where they left off in the T20Is.
England predicted lineup for Sri Lanka
Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
Sri Lanka predicted lineup for England
Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (c), Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
