Table of Contents
The island nation, Sri Lanka, is renowned for its tourism and hosp🎃itality. However, there was nothing hospitable about the Sri Lankan c🐼ricket team against West Indians tourists in recent times as they are yet to win in an ODI match in the island nation since 2004.
Lankans completed a clean sweep in the three-match ODI series, with their narrow win at Pallekele on Sunday. Now, West Indies face the hosts in their꧅ preferred T20I format for a two-match series to be played at Pallekele.
The hosts suffered a couple of major blows already with Nuwan Pradeep and Dhananjaya de Silva ruled out due 🌌to injuries. Pr🌊adeep could only complete 4.2 overs of his spell in the third ODI before limping off the field due to injury.
Asitha Fernando has been named as Pradeep’s replacement 💜while the Sri Lankan board is yet to name De Silva’s replacement, who picked up a wrist injury during the final game of the ODI series.
With eyes on t♛he T20 World Cup in October, the short series holds the utmost importance for the two teams, who would look to finalize their combination of the tournament later this year in Australia.
The transition from ODI to T20I series means a return of big guns for the World T20 Champions featuring the likes of Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Shimron Hetmyer.
Oshane Thomas, post his accident, also makes a comeback in maroons. While the 🌸Sri Lankan team only swaps the captaincy role from Dimuth Karunaratne to Lasith Malinga in the T20Is.
Squads
West Indies
Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard (Captain), Fabian Allen, 🦄Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh, Kesrick Williams
Sri Lanka
Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Shehan Jayasuriya, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka,ꦍ Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Lasith Malinga (Captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando
Fixtures
1st T20I, Sri Lanka vs West Indies, Mar 04
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium,𝓰 Pallekele
2nd T20I, Sri Lanka vs West Indies, Mar 06
Pallekele Int♑ernational Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Telecast Details
India & Subcontinent: Sony Six, Sony Six HD
Australia: Fox Cricket
Caribbean: ESPN
UK: Sky Sports Cricket
South Africa: SuperSport
USA: ESPN
Live Streaming: SonyLiv