Australia vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I - crickbuzzs prediction


Sri Lankans who reside in Australia-nearly 60,000 in all. And you can expect most, if not all, of them to show up and cover the vast expanse of the MCG in the Lankan blue. But the question is will the Sri Lankan team actually turn up. In the body, they certainly will but in spirit? Not on the basis of how they've gone in the series so far.
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If anything the Australians, on the field that is, will be hoping that they do more than even they themselves would. This is after all the start of a lengthy campaign that Aaron Finch & Co. have embarked on to first claim the top ranking in T20I cricket and then lay their claim for a title that Australia have never won. Not to forget that they already have the current No.1 ranked team, Pakistan, in their backyard and having made a commanding start to their tour in the warm-up game. And they'll need more competition to get going and get tested in that regard, even if being indomitable and crushing opponents in clinical fashion like they have this week isn't a bad way to go about it.

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There's still a long way to go till that World Cup but Australia will want to ask certain questions of themselves before they start feeling more settled with their setup. Steve Smith's return to the crease in T20I cricket was sensational, so were his revelations pre-game about him playing at his best on zero sleep, his different stances for different formats and his guitar skills. But that Smith is the best batsman in the country, and perhaps the world, was already known even if his exact role in this format still needs defining and feels more flexible at this stage. David Warner continued his dream run in white-ball cricket and the bowlers were as clinical as they were in Adelaide. The rest of the batsmen are still to come to the crease, forget the party, and Glenn Maxwell's unfortunate break from the game should get the likes of Ashton Turner and Alex Carey to get a hit if Sri Lanka and their own openers allow them the opportunity.


Australia vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I - crickbuzzs prediction

On the evidence of how they've managed to both curtail and derail the Sri Lankan middle-order in the middle overs, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar should be considered as certainties going forward. But like with most of what Australia has achieved so far this week, they'll want to wait till the end of the Pakistan series to be fully convinced. Billy Stanlake bowled with fire on the bouncy Gabba pitch and should be tested a little more ideally on the flatter MCG pitch. Kane Richardson meanwhile has been honest in his two outings without really doing enough to ascertain a regular place in the playing XI, especially once Andrew Tye is back from injury.

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Lasith Malinga looked rather cross with his batsmen at the end of the last match and you'd think they possibly can't do worse than what they've dished out so far. Both Malinga and Australia can only hope.

When: Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I, November 1, 19:10 Local, 13:40 IST

Where: MCG, Melbourne

What to Expect: Nowhere in the world do they love talking about the weather as they do in Melbourne. As of now, Friday (November 1) evening is forecast to be hot and windy, but it can all change in a hurry in the city of four climates a day. The noise around the MCG will definitely be louder though and the crescendo will sound more Sri Lankan than Australian. Sri Lanka has defeated Australia both times they've played a T20I in their home away from home. So either way-unless we see a tie-we'll see a team go 3-0 up.



Australia vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I - crickbuzzs 

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Team News

Australia

Hard-hitting wicket-keeper batsman Ben McDermott is the most likely replacement for Maxwell in the middle-order even if he does prefer opening the batting. The only change expected in the bowling attack could see Sean Abbott come in for Richardson, purely on a rotational basis.

Probable XI:  Steve Smith, David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Kane Richardson/Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka

You couldn't blame Malinga if he'd want to sit out of this one and hand the reins over to Niroshan Dickwella, but considering they've been atrocious with the bat, expect the addition of a batsman in the ranks.

Probable XI:  Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Shehan Jayasuriya/Lahiru Kumara, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga (c), Nuwan Pradeep.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (From):   Kusal Perera(w),  Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga(c), Nuwan Pradeep, Shehan Jayasuriya, Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

Australia (From): David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Steven Smith, Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey(w), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, D Arcy Short