ICC Cricket World Cup, Australia vs Sri Lanka: Statistical preview
Australia and Sri Lanka will fight for their first respective first win in the ongoing 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup as they meet in Match 14. Lucknow's Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium will host this affair on October 16. Though both sides have been under par at the event, Australia are stronger on the paper. Here is the statistical preview.
Here is the head-to-head record
Both teams have locked horns with each other on 102 occasions in ODIs. Australia have emerged victorious 63 times, while Sri Lanka have stamped a win on 35 instances (NR: 4). Australia have won six of their last nine matches against the Lankans in the 50-over format. In ODI WCs, Australia have eight wins and a solitary defeat against SL (NR: 1).
Warner can be Australia's vital cog
David Warner owns 6,451 runs at 44.79. He needs 49 runs to complete 6,500 ODI runs. Warner (1,046) can become the second-highest scorer for Australia at the World Cup by surpassing Adam Gilchrist (1,085). In 14 matches on Indian soil, Warner averages 48.38, having accumulated 629 runs. In 31 matches on Asian soil, Warner has racked up 1,130 runs at 37.66.
Poor form of Aussie batters
Australia failed to touch the 200-run mark in their last two games as their middle-order batters have been woefully out of touch. While Mitchell Marsh, Warner, and Marnus Labuschagne have been averaging over 38 this year, none of their other available batters average even 30. Steve Smith (28.85), Alex Carey (20.55), Marcus Stoinis (15.57), and Glenn Maxwell (7.75) are required to step up.
Bowling stats on offer for the Aussies
In 20 WC games, Mitchell Starc owns 52 scalps at 15.57. He has claimed 223 ODI scalps at 22.31 from 113 matches. In 11 matches this year, Adam Zampa averages an untidy 38. His economy rate is 6.4. Josh Hazlewood has 12 wickets in seven ODIs this year. Skipper Pat Cummins has managed just three wickets in four ODIs this year (ER: 6.21).
Mendis to lead for the first time
Dasun Shanaka has been ruled out of the event due to a thigh injury. Kusal Mendis will now lead the team. Shanaka's unavailability has now dented the already injury-hit SL team even further. Notably, Mendis has never led in international cricket before. Meanwhile, Chamika Karunaratne has been drafted in as Shanaka's replacement. He might be included in the playing XI straightaway.
Mendis's sublime form
Mendis, in his preceding outing against Pakistan, slammed the fastest WC century by a SL batter (65 balls). The Lankan captain has now clobbered 797 runs from 24 ODIs at an average of 39.85 in 2023. In 11 ODIs against the Aussies, he has mustered 453 runs at 50.33.
How other SL batters have fared lately?
Pathum Nissanka is the fifth-highest run-scorer in ODIs this year with 870 runs at 43.50. Wicket-keeper Sadeera Samarawickrama has also been among big runs, having slammed 608 runs at 43.42 this year. Charith Asalanka has managed 600 runs at 35.29 in 2023. Dhananjaya de Silva has struggled a bit this year, accumulating 415 runs at 25.93.
A look at SL's key bowlers
Dhananjaya de Silva with 44 wickets is closing in on 50 ODI wickets. Kasun Rajitha has returned with 36 scalps in 29 ODIs. Maheesh Theekshana has been SL's highest wicket-taker in ODIs this year with 32 dismissals at an average of 18.75. Overall, he has scalped 46 wickets in 28 ODIs at an average of 24.24. Dunith Wellalage has returned with 20 wickets.
