Squads –
GG –
Danushka Gunathilaka, Isuru Udana, Angelo Jayasinghe, Mohammad Amir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anwar Ali, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ashan Daniel, Mohommed Shamaaz, Nuwan Thushara, Samit Patel, Suminda Lakshan, Pulina Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Lahiru Madushanka, Dilshan Madushanka, Kevin Koththigoda, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Mohammad Hafeez
CS –
Jehan Daniel, Mohammad Irfan, Al Amin Hossain, Lahiru Gamage, Pathum Nissanka, Lakshan Sandakan, Seekkuge Prasanna, Manpreet Singh, Dushmantha Chameera, Gihan Rupasinghe, Dilshan Munaweera, Chris Gayle, Malindu Maduranga, Taskin Ahmed, Nalin Priyadarshana, Hashan Dumindu, Kanagarathinam Kabilraj, Ahmed Shehzad, TM Sampath, Nuwanidu Fernando
Team News –
GG –
– Galle Gladiators started their Lanka Premier League 2021 with a big win against Jaffna by 54 runs. Samit Patel was Man of the match last game for his brilliant 42 with bat and 3 wickets with bowl. Rajapaksa scored 50 but batted quite low last game.
– Kusal Mendis amd Danushka Gunathilaka will open the innings. Both started in attacking fashion but were out cheaply on 16 and 8 respectively.
– Mohammad Hafeez will bat at 1 down followed by Rajapaksa at 4. Rajapaksa was in stellar for this Abu Dhabi T10 scoring around 250 runs while scored brilliant 56 last game.
– Ben Dunk will bat in middle and keep the Wickets. Samit Patel will follow Dunk and will be also useful with bowl. Samit patel was star of the show scoring 42 with bat and 3 Wickets with bowl.
– Samit Patel, Pulina Tharanga, Noor Ahmed and Mohammad Hafeez will lead the spin attack.
– Isuru Udana, Dhananjaya Lakshan and Nuwan Thushara will lead the pace attack.
CS –
– Columbo Stars will play their 1st game against Galle Gladiators. Team has some really good local players like Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal who are very reliable and consistent.
– Angelo Matthews can be ruled out of the Lanka Premier League due to thigh strain. His chances of playing this game is very less.
– Tom Banton and Pathum Nissanka will open the Innings. Banton attacks from word go and is very attacking batsman. Nissanka on other hand plays bit slow.
– Kusal Perera will bat at 1 down. He can also open shifting Banton at 3. Perera will also keep the Wickets.
– Dinesh Chandimal will bat at 2 down followed by Dhananjaya de Silva. De Silva will also contribute through bowl.
– Sherfane Rutherford and David Wiese will do the needful hitting. Wiese will also be useful with bowl.
– Laqshat Sandakan and any 1 of Akila Dhananjaya or Seekuge Prasanna will lead the spin attack. De Silva will also assist them.
– Dushmantha Chameera, David Wiese and any 1 of Ravi Rampaul/Naveen Ul Haq will lead the pace bowling of team.
Probable XI –
GG –
Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (c), Samit Patel, Lahiru Madushanka, Isuru Udana, Pulina Tharanga, Noor Ahmad/Mohammad Amir, Nuwan Thushara.
CS –
Tom Banton, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sherfane Rutherford, David Wiese, Akila Dananjaya/Seekuge Prasanna, Laqshan Sandakan, Ravi Rampaul/Naveen Ul Haq, Dushmantha Chameera
Pitch Report –
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
The pitch in Colombo is expected to be good for batting but spinners may also come handy as the game progresses.
Team Blueprint –
WK –
Ben Dunk( 2 down, LHB + wk, very attacking batsman, 3400+ t20 runs with a SR of 130, 17 last game )
Kusal Perera( Open/1 down, LHB + wk, very attacking batsman, 1539 t20 runs in 122 games , Must have )
D Chandimal ( 2 down, RHB, 3214 t20 runs with a SR of 119, 6 single digit scores in last 8 games )
BAT –
Kusal Mendis(Open, RHB, 1484 t20 runs in 67 games , averages 19 on this venue, poor form recently, 16(12b) last game )
Angela Matthews( Middle order, RHB + Medium pacer, poor run last season with just 69 runs in 8 games, high chances of missing the game )
Bhanuka Rajapaksa ( 3 down, LHB, has been in great form, scored 249 in just 8 innings this T10 league, 56 runs of 31 balls last game)
Danushka Gunathilaka( Open, LHB, 265 runs + 9 Wickets on this venue, strikes the ball at 130 in T20s, 8(4b) last game)
Tom Banton( Open/1 down, RHB, 180 runs in 8 games in Abu Dhabi T10 recently, hit or miss )
Sherfane Rutherford ( Middle order, floater, LHB, very attacking batsman, t20 carrer SR of 136 with 1164 runs, Muts in GL )
Pathum Nissanka ( Open, RHB, 918 t20 runs in 22 games, very consistent performer )
ALL –
Samit Patel( Slow left arm spin + RHB, very handy Allrounder, 5000+ runs + 268 wickets in T20 career, 42 runs + 3 wickets last game, Must have )
Mohammad Hafeez(1 down, RHB + off spin, too experienced, 2465 runs + 63 wickets in t20s, 15 runs + 2 wickets last game, Must have any day )
D De Silva( 2/3 down, RHB + off spin, very dependable Allrounder, 1461 runs + 22 wickets in t20s, Must have)
Seekuge Prasanna( Leg spin, bowling Allrounder, just 3 Wickets in 7 games last season, overall 135 t20 Wickets)
David Wiese( Right Arm medium fast + RHB, excellent hitter of ball, scores in range of 20-30 in almost every game this Abu Dhabi T10, Must have)
P Tharanga(Leg Spin, 46 wickets in 37 t20 innings, wicket taking option , 2 wickets last game)
A Priyanjan( RHB + off spin, middle order, 1691 runs + 44 wickets in 103 t20 games, always a busy player)
BOWL –
M Amir( Left arm medium fast, swing bowler, very experienced, didn’t played last game )
D Chameera(Right Arm Fast, hit the deck bowler, best bowler of Sri Lanka currently, Must have )
Akila Dhananjaya( Off spin, was one of the top mystery bowler 2-3 years ago, very much out of form recently )
Laqshat Sandakan( Left arm wrist spinner, always a wicket taking option, 12 Wickets in 8 games last season, Must )
N Thushara(Right Arm Fast, got good pace, 51 Wickets in t20s, 1w last game )
Isuru Udana( Left arm medium fast + RHB, one of the best at death overs, bowled just 1 over last game)
K Koththigoda( Right Arm leg spin, very weird action, 12 Wickets in 12 t20s, good mystery bowler, didn’t played last game)
Naveen Ul Haq ( Right Arm medium fast, have some really good variations, will bowl in death, 10 Wickets in 9 games in recent Abu Dhabi T10)
D Lakshan( Right Arm medium fast, 17 wickets in 29 t20 games, can also be handy with bat, didn’t played last game )
C/VC Options –
GG –
Mohammad Hafeez
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Danushka Gunathilaka
CS –
David Wiese
Dhananjaya De Silva
Kusal Perera