SL vs SA | 3rd T20I: Before the World Cup, Sri Lanka look to iron out the creases in its playing XI

Having lost the T20I series and that too quite badly against South Africa, Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka and coach Mickey Arthur now have up their sleeves the most important task of tuning up the batting lineup which has now failed twice, both while batting first and second against a South African bowling lineup which isn’t really the best among the lot currently present in the world. 

The experiment of making Dinesh Chandimal, an established middle-order batter to open hasn’t really worked neither has Charith Asalanka’s slow and lacking intent middle-order batting. While both these men have been outstanding in ODI cricket, Chandimal still did well to notch up a fifty in the first T20I. 

Although it might have failed initially, playing Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando as two openers is the only way out with Chandimal at three and Bhanuka Rajapaksa at four. Dhananjaya de Silva is the ideal number five and so Shanka should bat at six. If Asalanka needs to play, he would have to wrestle the position from Rajapaksa, who too hasn’t really done much well either. 

With Wanindu Hasaranga at seven and Chamika Karunaratne at eight, the lineup looks settled with Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama and Maheesh Teekshana completing it. Shanka needs to bowl and so does de Silva while Hasaranga and Rajapaksa need to show that they are more than capable with the bat than just and hit or out candidate. 

South Africa on the other hand would look to continue the momentum as this is the last opportunity for them to gel as a team ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup in October-November.

Sri Lanka vs South Africa: Details

Match Number- 03rd T20I

Date and Time: September 14, 2021, 07:30 pm IST and Local, 02:00 pm GMT

Venue: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Broadcast and Livestream: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV

Pitch Report

If the pitch is to be taken on the face value of what happened in the first two games, then it is spin friendly no doubt, but not really a rank turner. With dew coming on late at night, more or less it would be a good wicket for a great match. 

Weather Forecast

A cricket game in Sri Lanka played in September-October has to always remain under the threat of rain. Ther are predictions of light to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms for Friday, September 14 in Colombo. 

Probable XI

Sri Lanka

Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama

South Africa

Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj (c), Bjorn Fortuin, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

Dream XI Team

Wicketkeepers Quinton de Kock, Dinesh Chandimal

Batters Kusal Perera, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram

All-rounders Wanindu Hasaranga, Dwaine Pretorius

Bowlers Tabraiz Shamsi, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Keshav Maharaj

Vice-Captain Wanindu Hasaranga

Captain Quinton de Kock