Sri Lanka is likely to receive a big boost for the 4th ODI against Australia with Kusal Mendis having made rapid progress from the cramps that saw him retire out in the previous game
Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Australia. Pic/ AFP
With the series currently at 2-1 in favour of Sri Lanka, a win for the home side will see them clinch the series against the mighty Australians.
Sri Lanka are likely to receive a big boost for the 4th ODI against Australia with Kusal Mendis having made rapid progress from the cramps that saw him retire out in the previous game.
Mendis played a big part in Sri Lanka’s third ODI triumph with his rapid 87. However, he didn’t get the chance to shepherd his side across the finish line due to severe cramps.
If Sri Lanka can get their in-form batsman back in the 11, they’ll stand a good chance of beating the visitors again. Mendis currently leads the run-scoring charts for the hosts with 209 runs in the series so far.
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According to IANS, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka was upbeat about his team’s chances of sealing a historic series win.
He said, “It is a great chance for this team to pull out a series win. It was 1992 the last time we beat Australia in a bilateral ODI series at home. They are one of the best sides in the world and we hope we can take the next step.”
The island nation may not want to mess with their winning combination. However, if star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is fit, he is likely to come in for Dunith Wellalage.
Meanwhile, this is a must-win game for Australia if they want to keep the series alive. The visitors are likely to bring in their first-choice pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to partner Josh Hazlewood. Finger spinner Matt Kuhnemann’s forgettable outing in the previous game could mean that he is replaced by leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson.
Steve Smith who sat out the 3rd ODI because of a quad injury may not be risked with a crucial Test series coming up soon after the ODIs conclude.
(With inputs from IANS)
