Australia to tour Sri Lanka in June: Details here
The Australian cricket team will be touring Sri Lanka for a full series in June 2022. The Aussies will play three T20Is, five ODIs, and two Test matches against the Lankans. Colombo, Kandy, and Galle have been selected as the venues for all the games. Also, Galle will be hosting both the Test matches as well. Here are the details.
A look at the schedule
Australia's tour of Sri Lanka starts on June 7 with the first two T20Is to be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The teams will move to Kandy for the third T20I and the first two ODIs. Colombo will host the remaining ODIs and the teams will move to Galle for the marquee Test series which starts on June 29.
Why does this story matter?
This will be a crucial tour for the Aussies, who would want to maintain their form in Tests. They are unbeaten so far in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle. As far as the T20Is are concerned, Australia will want to outmuscle Lanka with the T20 World Cup later this year. The ODIs too will be a good platform to test players.
'We are in for some exciting cricket'
Australia will be touring Lanka after a gap of five years. CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Ashley De Silva said that there is some exciting cricket on offer. "We are in for some exciting cricket, especially considering that an Australian tour to Sri Lanka is taking place after 5 years, since last time they toured Sri Lanka,'' he said.
Ashley De Silva on the limited-overs series
Silva said the limited-overs series will help SL prepare for the coveted World Cups. "The T20 Series will help our preparations for the T20I World Cup, whilst the Test and ODI segments are also competitions of immense value for us, as we aim to move through the ICC World Test Championship rankings and also gearing up for the ICC Men's World Cup in 2023."
Lanka in a position of bother
The Lankans have been on a spot of bother of late. They lost a five-match T20I series against Australia by a 3-1 margin. Post that, SL lost to India 3-0 in T20Is and 2-0 in the Test series. The hosts have a difficult task in store against the Aussies, who are set to face Pakistan in a limited-overs series next following the third Test.
