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Sri Lanka Bat First vs Zimbabwe in Crucial T20 World Cup Group Clash

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in their T20 World Cup Group B match against Zimbabwe at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Captain Dasun Shanaka expressed confidence in his batsmen and noted improvements in fielding, despite dealing with key player injuries. Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza viewed the conditions as a win-win, hoping his bowlers could restrict Sri Lanka. Both teams entered the contest with unchanged playing elevens from their previous matches.

Key Points: T20 WC: Sri Lanka Bat First vs Zimbabwe, Teams Unchanged

  • Sri Lanka wins toss and bats first
  • Both teams field unchanged XIs
  • Shanaka highlights batting confidence and improved fielding
  • Raza aims to build winning habits for Zimbabwe
2 min read

T20 WC: Sri Lanka opt to bat against Zimbabwe, teams remain unchanged

Sri Lanka wins toss, opts to bat against Zimbabwe in ICC Men's T20 World Cup Group B match. Captains Shanaka and Raza share strategies.

"Our batsmen need to put runs on the board. So I'm happy to bat first. - Dasun Shanaka"

Colombo, Feb 19

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat against Zimbabwe in their Group B contest of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup here at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka, upon winning the toss, said, "Our batsmen need to put runs on the board. So I'm happy to bat first. Madushanka comes straight into the XI. Dushmantha Chameera is rested, and Pramod Madushan comes in for him. It's very tough because it's a World Cup, and we need our best players in the playing XI. It's unfortunate, but we have to deal with it. The batsmen have put in outstanding performances, which has given us a lot of confidence. At the same time, Pathirana and Wanindu got injured, but the replacements have done the job really well for us. That's the key. Also, our fielding has improved a lot. All the key areas we wanted to work on, we've done superbly well. Hopefully, we'll carry that into the next round."

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said, "Looking at the conditions and the chance of drizzle, under lights it plays better from our previous experience. So it's a win-win situation. Our bowlers are full of confidence, and the conditions give them the best chance. Hopefully, we can restrict them to a low score. I still think, as a group, it changes a lot for us. Topping the group and going into the Super stage is a big deal. We know there's going to be a full house as well. It's about gaining more respect and hopefully turning a few Sri Lankan fans into Zimbabwean fans today. That's another tick. These are habits - once you build good habits, they stay with you. For us, it's about getting into a winning habit, putting ourselves in winning positions, and closing games. Those habits are still a big tick for us. We've got the same side as the last game."

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
Interesting to see Zimbabwe unchanged. Raza's confidence is palpable! Their bowling attack looked sharp in the last game. This could be a closer contest than people think. Hope the weather holds up.
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Rohit P
As an Indian fan watching, this is a crucial game for the group dynamics. Sri Lanka really needs to win big to boost their NRR. Missing Chameera is a blow, but Madushan has a point to prove. Zimbabwe can be dangerous on their day.
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Priya S
Shanaka's comment about fielding improvement is key. In T20s, saving those 10-15 runs in the field makes all the difference. Hope the Premadasa crowd gets a good match! 🤞
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Aman W
Respect to Raza for that mindset. "Turning a few Sri Lankan fans" – that's the spirit of the game! Zimbabwe playing for pride and respect. Would love to see an upset, but Sri Lanka should have too much firepower at home.
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Karthik V
Honestly, Sri Lanka's batting order still looks a bit shaky. Too much reliance on the top 3. If they fall early, the middle order needs to step up. They should have considered bringing in a more experienced batter for a World Cup game. Just my two cents.

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