Two underperformed teams in 2015, Sri Lanka and West Indies will be hoping to prove their ODI aptitudes in the three-match series which starts on 1st of November at R. Premadasa International Stadium.
Sri Lanka had a disastrous 2015 so far in white-ball cricket when they lost two bilateral series to New Zealand & Pakistan, bowed out of the ICC World Cup in the quarter-final stage. The Windies faced the same fate in the World Cup campaign and were smothered by South Africa in January. Their biggest black mark came when they were not qualified to play the ICC Champions Trophy in England, 2017.
The two sides have played 20 ODIs since the turn of the millennium with Sri Lanka winning 12 of those matches and the Windies have won 6 games during the time with 2 matches seeing no result. Sri Lanka lost an ODI to West Indies on home soil way back in 2005 under the captaincy of Mahela Jayawardene.
West Indies, lost the two-match Test series, 2-0 to Sri Lanka last week. They need to win the ODI series in order to regain confidence but the hosts’ will start as favourites. The series will continue to be a trial by spin for the men from the Caribbean, though Rangana Herath, who claimed 15 wickets in the 2 Tests is not part of the Sri Lanka’s squad.
Skipper Jason Holder praised his bowlers for their performances in the Test series. But he said his side was let down by the batsmen in the Test series, “Hopefully our batsmen can gain some of that confidence and momentum which they’ve put there,” said Holder.
The Windies won the practice game few days back at Colts grounds when Carlos Brathwaite and Andre Russell blasted their way to victory after another top-order collapse. The visitors are fond of the shorter-format of the game and will be remodeling their plans to topple the home team.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka also made 6 changes to their squad which lost to Pakistan at home in July-August. Experienced campaigners, Ajantha Mendis and Nuwan Kulasekara returns to strengthen the bowling alongside three uncapped players – Shehan Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay and Danushka Gunathilaka, who are almost certainty to play at least one game in the series.
TM Dilshan will lead the Lankan batting lineup with Lahiru Thirimanne set to bat at number 3 position while Dinesh Chandimal is expected at number 4 even though the right-hander will miss the first ODI due to a suspension handed by ICC after his altercation with Ishant Sharma in 3rd Test at SSC. Lasith Malinga will have lot to prove with his bowling & fitness after being dropped from the side for the final ODI against Pakistan.
Squad – Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Shehan Jayasuriya, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeffrey Vandersay, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Danushka Gunathilaka
West Indies
The Caribbean team has not played ODI since the World Cup and they have made 8 changes to their squad in order to change their fortunes. Chris Gayle is still injured, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard has once again been overlooked but match-winning Sunil Narine returns to the squad after August 2014.
ODI specialists – Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher can be vital to the West Indies cause if they are to return into winning ways. Lot will be expected from Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels as they are the two most experienced batsmen in the squad.
Squad – Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
Pitch & Weather
According to the weather reports, Sunday’s game could be hampered by rain. A thunderstorm is expected to hit the area during the day, while showers could also hold up play in the evening even though no rain was witnessed on Saturday. The pitches will no doubt help the spinners and will have bucket-loads of runs on offer. All three games are scheduled to be day-night matches and dew will also come into play during this series.
