Australia vs Sri Lanka Predictions: Aussies Need to Win This Game to Keep Their Title Defence Alive

• Australia lead the head to head record in this rivalry by 10 wins to 5.
• Australia had defeated Sri Lanka by 4-1 at home earlier this year.
• Australia need to win this game to keep their title defence alive. 

Australia vs Sri Lanka Odds

Odds taken from bet365

Australia vs Sri Lanka Prediction and Pick

The head-to-head numbers between these two sides in the shorter format are skewed in Australia's favor. The Aussies have won 15 matches while the Lankan lions have claimed 10. The venue of the match - Perth will suit Australia while Sri Lanka could find it hard to adjust.

We predict Australia to win this clash in Group 1 (-250)

Predicted XI

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka/Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Lahiru Kumara

Australia Hold Edge in a Must Win Clash at Well Favoured Perth

With their campaign on the line, Australia will take on Sri Lanka in the next Group 1 fixture of Super 12s on Tuesday, October 25th. Australia will be delighted to host at Optus Stadium in Perth, which matches their strengths and neutralizes those of Sri Lanka.

The Aaron Finch-led side was shell shocked in the first game against New Zealand, losing by 89 runs and taking a massive hit to their net run-rate, currently reading -4.450. Their experienced pace trio was hammered by Finn Allen and later by Devon Conway and Jimmy Neesham as they conceded 200.

Australia lost their biggest hope David Warner in the second over and then a flurry of wickets had them reeling at 68/5. Some poor thinking by the remaining players meant they could not limit the net run-rate damage, which could prove costly later.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, carried their first round momentum and hammered Ireland in the first Super 12s fixture by nine wickets. With a couple of their frontline seamers sidelined due to injuries, the Sri Lankan bowling attack did an excellent job to restrict Ireland to 128/8. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva put on a 63-run stand for the opening wicket before Mendis and Charith Asalanka finished the chase. Mendis scored an unbeaten 68 off 43 while Asalanka added 22-ball 31*.

Team News

Australia fielded a predictable playing XI in the tournament opener and they're likely to continue with the same. Aaron Finch stated that the team will continue with the same approach. David Warner remains the biggest asset for them while the likes of Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell can't afford any mistakes. Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade and Tim David will have to do a better job. The seam bowling attack comprising Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc was taken apart in the previous game but should do better at Perth.

Sri Lanka have been dealt with heavy blows during the tournament, with Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka going down with injuries. Lahiru Kumara and Binura Fernando did a good job in the previous game. The spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga has been very potent with Dhananjaya de Silva also chipping in. In the batting unit, they were forced to leave out Pathum Nissanka versus Ireland due to a late injury/illness. De Silva opened the innings alongside Kusal Mendis, who has been in good form. If fit, Nissanka should come back in. Charith Asalanka getting some runs was a good sign for Sri Lanka.

Key Players

David Warner provides a significant value to the side with his game against spin and being the only left hander in the top six. His dismissal early in the innings hurt them badly and Australia would hope the opening batter produces an impactful knock here. Warner boasts of an incredible record in the shorter format, having scored over 11000 runs in overall T20s at an average of 38 and strike rate of 143. Warner has eight centuries and 92 half centuries in the format.

Wanindu Hasaranga has forced his way into the league of top tier spinners in T20 cricket with consistent performances over the last couple of years. The leg-spinner is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing tournament, picking nine wickets in four games. Hasaranga is a crucial player for Sri Lanka in this game if they are to restrict the Australian batting unit, although Perth doesn't assist spinners much. He has 167 wickets in the format, conceding at just 6.69 rpo.

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