2012 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20: Match 1 Preview – Sri Lanka V Zimbabwe
Hosts Sri Lanka are all set to take on Group C minnows, Zimbabwe in the 2012 World T20 curtain raiser, to be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota today, September 18.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 and 26-run defeat at the hands of India – they remain strong contenders for the coveted trophy.
Batting remains the strength of Sri Lankan line-up, featuring likes of world class batsmen in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Opener Dilshan is one of world’s most destructive batsmen and there is hardly a bowler in the world who could stop the 35-year-old Kalutara right-hander after he gets going. The hosts will hope he remains in the top form over the next couple of weeks. Uncapped Dilshan Munaweera is likely to open the Sri Lankan innings alongside Dilshan.
Jayawardene and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779 are the two men in the middle on whom the Sri Lankans can rely in any format of the game. No. 5 Lahiru Thirimanne is also a dangerous batsman and the Zimbabwe bowlers would find it hard to contain him once he gets going.
Presence of a plethora of pace-bowling all-rounders gives the Lankans an advantage over the rest of the World T20 participants. Angelo Mathews is one of the best all-rounders in the world while Thisara Perera has also established himself very quickly over the past couple of months as a potent all-rounder.
Sri Lanka’s pace arsenal will be led by T20 specialist Lasith Malinga, who will have the support of Perera, Mathews and Nuwan Kulasekara, while fit-again Ajantha Mendis and uncapped Akila Dananjaya will comprise the spin attack.
Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be banking on experience rather than the exuberance of youth. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Malcolm-Waller-c74039.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045’s touring party, but Cremer may miss out if the tourists opted to play three seamers.
Traditionally the Hambantota wicket assists the seamers. The last match played at this venue was a low scoring day and night ODI between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in July, when the tourists were bowled out for just 138 in 34 overs. But Jayawardene is expecting a high-quality surface in Hambantota this time around.
"Having looked at the wicket I'm pretty confident that it will be much better than what it has been, and there should be plenty of runs," Jayawardene told media reporters on the eve of the match.
Temperatures are expected to remain between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, with 80 percent humidity level.
Squads:
Sri Lanka (probable): 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BAW-Mendis-c1127 11 Akila Dananjaya,
Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Brendan http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CB-Mpofu-c1219
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