Melbourne: After a strong performance in the first T20 at the Sydney's Olympic Stadium, Sri Lanka would be eying to take the two-match series 2-0 and hope to end the Australian tour on a high on Monday at the MCG. The number one T20 side, Sri Lanka, had put up a clinical performance with rookie Kaushal Perera showing his class after Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara had tied down the Aussies in the slog overs.
The 2nd ODI will be important for a few Australians namely Aaron Finch, Adam Voges and Ben Cutting who have an opportunity to impress and cement a place in the Australian squad for the long season ahead for the Aussies. David Warner’s valiant 90 might have gone in vain but the diminutive opener will be all fired up and raring to go.
For Sri Lanka, bowling remains their strong point with horse for courses players. Nuwan Kulasekara who has bowled exceptionally well in the series throughout will be the main threat for the visitors and Lasith Malinga too got into his usual groove in the previous match. The little known Kaushal Perera has pounced on the opportunity presented to him and his crisp 33 off 22 in the first T20 underlines the potential the left-hander has.
James Faulkner is expected to get a game in after a disappointing performance by Ben Laughlin at Sydney.
James Faulkner is expected to get a game in after a disappointing performance by Ben Laughlin at Sydney. Sri Lanka will most probably go in with an unchanged squad.
Probable XI
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 George Bailey (captain), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Ben Cutting, 9 James Faulkner, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Xavier Doherty.
Sri Lanka : 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kushal Perera, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), 5 Angelo Mathews (captain), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha Mendis.
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