Squads –
JS –
Thisara Perera, Johnson Charles, Wanidu Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Avishka Fernando, Dananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal, Binura Fernando, Minod Bhanuka, Chathuranga de Silva, Mahesh Theekshana, Charith Asalanka, Nuwandinu Fernando, Kanakaratnam Kapilraj, Thevendiram Dinoshan, Vijayakanth Vijayakanth, Kyle Abbott, Duanne Olivier, Tom Moores, Prabhath Jayasuriya, Sebastianpillai Vijeyaraj
GG –
Shahid Afridi, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Amir, Danushka Gunatilleka, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Akila Dananjaya, Milinda Siriwardena, Azam Khan, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Mohammed Shiraz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Chanaka Ruwansiri, Sahan Arachchi, Duvindu Tillakaratne, Chadwick Walton, Ashan Ali, Abdul Nasir, Waqas Maqsood
Team News –
JS –
– The Jaffna Stallions will play their opening game against the Galle Gladiators. Team will be lead by Thisara Perera.
– Tom Moores, Shoaib Malik, Duanne Oliver and Kyle Abbott will be their likely foreigners.
– Avishka and Tom Moores will open the Innings. Avishka has been really consistent for Sri Lanka in International Cricket while Moores in English domestic Cricket. Moores will keep the Wickets.
– Young u19 Nuwandinu Fernando can bat at 1 down. He has scored 400+ runs in his 15 u19 Innings and can also bowl some off spin.
– Experienced shoiab Malik and Dhananjaya De Silva will be batting in middle. Malik can be crusial part of team if the top order doesn’t work. Both can bowl a few overs in middle.
– Thisara Perera and Hasaranga can hit a few at the end.
– Wanindu Hasaranga, Prabhath Jayasuriya and Malik and Dhananjaya De Silva will be the spinners for the Stallions.
– Duanne Oliver, Kyle Abbott and Lakmal will lead the pace attack.
GG –
– The Galle Gladiators will be led by Veteran Shahid Afridi this season.
– Afridi has been replaced as Captain for Sarfaraz Ahmed while Ahsan Ali has come in as a replacement for Colin Ingram.
– Hazratullah Zazai and Gunathilaka will open the innings for Gladiators. Both attacks from word go. Gunathilaka can also bowl some part time medium pace.
– Bhanuka Rajapaksha will be batting at no 3 followed by Siriwardene at 4. Rajapaksha has flavours of Jayasuriya in him. Milinda Siriwardene has been really consistent in last domestic t20 scoring 259+ runs also took 6 Wickets.
– Shehan Jayasuriya and Chadwick Walton will hold the middle order. Walton will keep the Wickets.
– Afridi can hit some biggies if got to bat. He will lead the spin attack along with Sandakan and Akila Dhananjaya.
– Mohammad Amir and Dhananjaya Lakshan will be leading the pace attack.
Probable XI –
JS –
Avishka Fernando, Tom Moores(wk), Nuwandinu Fernando, Shoaib Malik, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Duanne Oliver, Prabhath Jayasuriya, Suranga Lakmal, Kyle Abbott.
GG –
Hazratullah Zazai, Danushka Gunatilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Milinda Siriwardene, Sheyan Jayasuriya, Chadwick Walton (wk), Shahid Afridi(c), Dhananjaya Lakshan, Akila Dhananjaya, Mohammad Amir, Lakshan Sandakan.
Pitch Report –
Mahinda Rajapaksha Stadium Hambantota, Sri Lanka
There have not been much international games at this venue so Wicket can be very unpredictable.
Average Score : 219( 1st game )
Team Blueprint –
WK –
Chadwick Walton ( Middle order + wk, hard hitting windies batsman but completely out of form )
Tom Moores( Open + wk, attacking English batsman, 1174 t20 runs in 55 innings , good option to have )
BAT –
Avishka Fernando ( Open/1 down, Excellent talent with sr of 140 in t20s , 169 runs in 3 games last domestic t20 in Srilanka )
Shoiab Malik( 3 down + off spin, experienced, must while Batting 2nd )
H Zazai( Opener, very aggressive , but hit or miss, 180 runs in shpageeza t20 recently, Must )
B Rajapaksha (1 down, 1300+ t20 runs at a SR of 137, 96 in bpl2019 )
N Fernando ( Open/1 down, u19 batsman, 448 runs in 15 Innings, part time off spin )
Milinda Siriwardene ( 2 down + slow orthodox, 264 runs + 3 Wickets in domestic legaue recently, Must have )
ALL –
Thisara Perera ( Lower order + Medium pacer, 3400+ runs + 236 Wickets in t20s , 26+2w in domestic series only game )
Dhananjaya De Silva( Middle order + off spin, can play attacking Cricket, Must )
Shahid Afridi ( Leggie, veteran with 150+ t20 Wickets, batting very low )
Aikla Dhananjaya ( Off spin, mystery bowler, 12 Wickets in SLC domestic 2020 )
Sheyan Jayasuriya ( 1/2 down + off spin, 3 Wickets + 130 runs in his last 5 innings, Must have )
D Gunathilaka( Open + part time medium pace, 473 runs + 5 Wickets in t20s )
W Hasaranga ( Leggie, 46 Wickets in t20s + 500+ runs, excellent choice in SL )
BOWL –
Kyle Abbott( Pacer , south African bowler, very experienced with 153 t20 Wickets )
Mohammad Amir ( Left arm Pacer, known for his swing, 205 t20 Wickets with 6 in National T20 2020)
Suranga Lakmal ( Right Arm Medium pacer, decent t20 bowler, 1 Wicket in 2 games in domestic t20 )
Duanne Oliver ( Right Arm fast, hit the deck bowler, 56 t20 Wickets with 6 in MSL2019 )
Lakshan Sandakan ( Chinnaman, 50 Wickets in t20s with economy just under 8 )
P Jayasuriya ( Left arm orthodox, experienced with 62 Wickets in t20s, selected by less than 5% )
C/VC –
JS –
Avishka Fernando
Thisara Perera
D De Silva
GG –
H Zazai
Shehan Jayasuriya
Akila Dhananjaya