Sri Lanka adds extra ODI to Australia's upcoming tour schedule

ANI January 16, 2025 192 views

Australia's cricket tour to Sri Lanka just got more interesting with an extra ODI added to the schedule. The tour will now feature two Tests and two ODIs, giving the team crucial preparation time before the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Steven Smith will lead the team in Pat Cummins' absence, bringing his extensive sub-continental experience to the squad. The matches will be played across Galle and Colombo, offering an exciting cricket spectacle for fans.

"A tour is an opportunity to disseminate knowledge to younger players" - Steven Smith
Colombo, January 15: The Sri Lanka Cricket Board, in coordination with Cricket Australia, has announced the addition of an extra ODI to Australia's upcoming tour schedule, as per ICC.

Key Points

1

Australia will play two Tests and two ODIs in Sri Lanka

2

Steven Smith returns to captaincy during Pat Cummins' paternity leave

3

Tour begins with first Test in Galle on January 19

4

Extended schedule provides crucial pre-Champions Trophy preparation

Originally, the tour was planned to consist of just one ODI alongside two Test matches, the latter being a part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle. With the revised schedule, both teams will now compete in two ODIs and two Test matches.

The extra ODI added to the schedule is perfectly timed for Australia, offering the visitors crucial preparation ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19.

Sri Lanka, though, aren't a part of the Champions Trophy for the very first time in the tournament history after falling short of the qualification criteria.

The tour will kick off with the first Test match on January 19, followed by the second Test on February 6, both to be played at Galle.

Sri Lanka will face Australia in the first ODI on February 12 with the newly added ODI fixture scheduled for February 14.

The revised schedule for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka includes the first Test from January 29 to February 2 in Galle, followed by the second Test from February 6 to 10, also in Galle. The ODIs will take place in Colombo, with the first match on February 12 and the second on February 14.

Australia have announced their Test squad for the Sri Lanka series.

Steven Smith, who is set to return to captaincy in Australia's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, is viewing it as a prospect to disseminate his knowledge of the sub-continent to the youngsters in the team.

With designated skipper Pat Cummins on paternity leave, Smith was assigned the captaincy role for the two-match Test tour of the sub-continent.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

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