🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: M 23: Sri Lanka vs Nepal, Florida @5.00: AM IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 23: Sri Lanka vs Nepal, Florida @5.00: AM IST🏏

Group D in the T20 World Cup may have been perceived as less competitive on paper, but the matches have shown a different story. 

South Africa, the favorites to top the group, have managed to secure three wins but have faced challenges in each game. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has struggled with two losses and zero points alongside Nepal. The Netherlands sits in the middle, with only two points separating Bangladesh in second place and Sri Lanka in fifth. 

Despite the standings, there is still ample opportunity for teams to secure their positions in the group, making for an exciting competition ahead. Sri Lanka's performance in the T20 World Cup has been inconsistent, with some good and some poor moments. Despite a close match against Bangladesh where they almost secured a win, they suffered losses in both of their matches so far in the tournament. 

Batting first, they scored 124/9 with Pathum Nissanka scoring 47 runs from 28 balls. However, they fell short in defending the total, missing out on a victory by just two wickets despite early breakthroughs against Bangladesh. 

Nepal has yet to earn any points in the T20 World Cup but have only lost one match. They will face Sri Lanka next and may be in a stronger position as they need more contributions from their top and middle order, especially after captain Rohit Paudel being the only player to score above 11 runs in the last match.

 In terms of bowling, only a few players managed to take wickets in the defeat against the Netherlands. Nepal will need improved performances from all players if they need to make a strong statement in this T20 World Cup.

The equation is pretty simple. Sri Lanka have to win both their games now in order to stay alive in the competition. Even that won't be enough if Bangladesh do not lose another game. That's the sort of territory Sri Lanka find themselves in after making a false start to the 2024 T20 World Cup. This is what two losses in two games can do to you in this competition. But first, the focus will be on the controllable.

Tag and Logo credit:WildestDreams

Sri Lanka will have to make improvements in every department to fetch their first win. As we saw already against South Africa, the batting unit needs to fire. 

While the conditions were obviously not batting friendly, Sri Lanka struggled against Bangladesh as well. From 100/3 after 14 overs, they collapsed to post just 124.

Against Nepal, who are one of the weakest teams in the competition, Sri Lanka will look to rectify that. The bowling attack will feel confident though, against a batting line up that got shot out for 106. 

Their batters will find the going tough against the likes of Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara, pacers with slingy actions. Nothing is for granted in this tournament as we have seen already but some of these factors do point towards two points for Sri Lanka. The weather might play spoilsport though.

When: Sri Lanka vs Nepal, 11:30 PM GMT, 7:30 PM local, 5:00 AM IST (June 12)

Where: Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida

What to expect: Rain poses a huge threat to Sri Lanka's hopes of fetching their first win. In terms of conditions, this will be the first match at this venue in this year's World Cup. The last time a T20I was played here in August 2023, West Indies chased down 166 against India with ease.

Team Watch

Sri Lanka

Sadeera Samarawickrama could be in line for a recall in place of the misfiring Kamindu Mendis. Sri Lanka may have to reconsider their call to keep promoting Wanindu Hasaranga ahead of Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka.

Tactics & Matchups: Kushal Malla's strike-rate against leg spin since 2023 is 200. However, he has been dismissed against off spin five times in this period. Sri Lanka have the likes of Dhananjaya and Theekshana to take advantage. Pathirana and Thushara might pose a problem as well with the Nepal players not used to their bowling actions.

Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana

Nepal

Sandeep Lamichhane will continue to be unavailable for Nepal since the game is scheduled in the United States. He will join the squad only for the Caribbean leg of the tournament.

Probable XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Anil Sah, Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal

Did you know?

- This is the first T20 International between Sri Lanka and Nepal.

- Sri Lanka played two previous T20Is in Lauderhill in 2010 and Angelo Mathews is the only survivor from that series.

What they said

"If you see in this World Cup, you'll see that the associate team is beating Test playing countries. So, it is a motivation for all of us, especially moving forward to tomorrow's game. So as a team, we believe that we are going to win tomorrow and the way we have been preparing for the last couple of months and the way we have been playing cricket for the last one and a half years, I think the belief is always there in the team and we are looking forward to tomorrow's game." - Skipper Rohit Paudel wants Nepal to take inspiration from the results so far in the World Cup

In the spotlight: Karan KC and Nuwan Thushara

Sandeep Lamichhane is no doubt a massive miss, and someone whose absence hindered Nepal significantly in their opening game loss to the Netherlands as well. But in the experienced Karan KC - their second-highest T20I wicket taker - they have someone that can pose questions to Sri Lanka's top order, and potentially expose their soft underbelly. Karan, to be fair, hasn't been at his wicket-taking best in recent times but he has a pedigree for grabbing hauls and Nepal will be hoping the next one is just around the corner.

While Sri Lanka's struggles are well documented across their opening two games, one area in which they've excelled with is the ball. That has been primarily down to their success in the powerplay, where the slingy Nuwan Thushara has proved a handful for opposition batters. With his ability to swing the ball late and his unusual trajectory, he nearly single-handedly stole a win against Bangladesh. Nepal's batters will have no doubt done their homework but facing him will be a whole new proposition.

The potentially seam friendly conditions in Florida could see Sri Lanka opt to bring in a third frontline seamer in either Dushmantha Chameera or Dilshan Madushanka - neither of whom has featured in the competition yet - in place of Maheesh Theekshana.

Pitch and conditions

Sri Lanka's warm up games in Lauderhill saw runs and all indications currently are that the pitch for this game will assist the batters. Rain, however, is set to play spoilsport with Sri Lanka already having had a training session on Monday curtailed by the inclement weather. Tuesday's forecast is not any better with thunderstorms expected throughout the evening, so this could be fairly stop-start affair.

Stats and trivia

• Nuwan Thushara's strike rate of a wicket every 9.4 deliveries is the best of any bowler from a Full Member nation to have taken at least 10 wickets in T20Is since January 2023
• Eleven of the 15 completed matches in Lauderhill have been won by the side batting first
• The average score in Lauderhill is 160. The average first innings score is 168.

Thanks for the tag Madhu.

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Thanks for the tag 

May the best team win.