Aussie cricketers arrive today for full series against SL -By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Australia captain Aaron Finch (left) and Sri Lanka white ball format captain Dasun Shanaka.
Source:dailynews.lk
Australia cricket team led by Aaron Finch will arrive in Sri Lanka today for a full cricket series (T20, ODI and test) and this is going to be very important for both sides to get more exposure before world T 20 tournament and also the two tests in Galle which are part of the ICC test championship.
According to a senior official of the Sri Lanka cricket (SLC) after six years time Australians the T20 champions and top test team of the world is always a challenge for the Sri Lanka team while next T20 world cup will be held next October- November in Australia and this is going to be a real test for Sri Lanka cricket team
Dimuth Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka will lead the Sri Lanka Test team and White ball team (ODI and T- 20) while selectors have already picked National Test, ODI and T20 pools to focus on Australia series.
Sri Lanka test team recorded a 1-0 test series win over Bangladesh before this test series while T20 and ODI teams was not up to expectations against Australia in their last Australia series in February and once again Sri Lankan team have to gain experience against strong Australia under home conditions during this series which will commence on June 7 .
Australia T20I side will be nearly at full strength with only Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa missing from the team that won the World Cup last year. Cummins is resting from the T20I series after playing in the IPL while Zampa is on paternity leave.
Meanwhile Australians will also play with Sri Lanka A team from June 8 just after the National sides first T20 which will be played at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
SLC top official said Australia series is more important at this country’s hard situation and considered to be a very good investment along with the next Pakistan series and looking to host Asia Cup next August which is a much needed huge investment for the country.
Both Asian Cricket Council officials and SLC top officials are holding discussions to host Asia Cup.
Australia T20 SQUAD: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade
Australia ODI SQUAD: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
WHITE BALL FIXTURES
7 June: First T20I @ RPS Colombo
8 June: Second T20I @ RPS, Colombo
11 June: Third T20I @ Pallekele, Kandy
14 June: First ODI @ Pallekele, Kandy
16 June: Second ODI @ Pallekele, Kandy
19 June: Third ODI, @ RPS, Colombo
21 June: Fourth ODI, @ RPS, Colombo
24 June: Fifth ODI, @ RPS, Colombo
