World Cup Preview: Sri Lanka v Australia

Where: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

When: Sat Mar 5, 14.30 local, 09.00 GMT, 20.30 AEST, 22.30 NZDT

ODI Head to Head: Played: 71, Wins: Sri Lanka 22, Australia 47, Tied 0, No result: 2.

Last meeting: Nov 7, 2010 – Australia 119-2 (21.4 over) def. Sri Lanka 115 all out (32 ov) by 8 wickets.

World Cup Head to Head: Played: 7, Wins: Sri Lanka 1, Australia 6, No result: 0.

World Cup final meeting: Apr twenty-eight 2007 – Australia 281-4 (38 ov) def. Sri Lanka 215-8 (36 ov) by 53 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method).

Selection table:
Likely Sri Lanka team: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-capt), Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis.

After a better to Pakistan, Thisara Perera done approach for a lapse of Lasith Malinga as well as Ajantha Mendis transposed Rangana Herath for a nine-wicket feat over Kenya.

Mendis unsuccessful to take a wicket though returned excusable total of twenty-three runs from 9 overs as well as should keep his place, whilst Malinga is sure to sojourn forward of a hapless Perera.

Likely Australia team: Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (vic-capt), Cameron White, David Hussey, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.

Australia have been approaching to sojourn unvaried from a seven-wicket win opposite New Zealand.

X factor:
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene – a maestro done only dual in a better opposite Pakistan as well as did not bat in a following compare opposite Kenya.

He will be penetrating to set a jot down true with a poignant grant opposite Australia.

Australia: Brad Haddin – May have a indicate to infer after a Indian press reported which Haddin as well as associate opener Shane Watson were underneath ICC review for a suspiciously delayed run rate in Australia's feat over Zimbabwe.

After alive with during a idea of any impasse in tainted play, a absolute hitter could come out overhanging opposite Sri Lanka.

Summary:
Australia as well as Sri Lanka have a possibility to pull turn with Pakistan upon 6 points during a tip of Group A.

Co-hosts Sri Lanka have been between a favourites for a tournament, though unsuccessful their initial poignant hearing with an 11-run better to Pakistan in their second match.

Victories over Kenya as well as Canada, with matches opposite Zimbabwe as well as New Zealand still to come, meant they will sojourn upon march to swell to subsequent theatre in any case of a outcome opposite Australia.

But dual defeats from dual encounters with aloft class antithesis will expel critical disbelief over Sri Lanka’s genius to plea a likes of South Africa as well as India in a latter stages of a tournament.

Australia have eased in to their World Cup counterclaim with extensive victories over Zimbabwe as well as New Zealand.

But Sri Lanka – who won their initial one-day general array feat upon Australian dirt in Nov final year – paint a stiffest exam nonetheless of Australia’s credentials.

If Australia’s pace-heavy conflict can overpower a daunting Sri Lankan batting line-up, it can go a little approach to validating a selectors’ conviction in Tait as well as Lee.

But if a speedsters stutter upon what is traditionally a slower wicket during a R Premadasa Stadium, it could see spinner Xavier Doherty pierce forward of quicks Peter Siddle as well as Dirk Nannes in a tab to reinstate a harmed Doug Bollinger.

Victory over Sri Lanka, with Kenya, Canada as well as Pakistan to come, will set Australia up to tip Group A as they go in poke of their fourth unbroken ICC World Cup triumph.