The England cricket team is all set to take on Sri Lanka in Match 25 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on Thursday, October 26 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. They have had a disappointing season so far, with just one win from four matches, ranking ninth on the points table.
England’s only win this edition so far has come against Bangladesh in Dharamsala. They have lost to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa. On the other hand, Sri Lanka too has just one win from four matches. They defeated the Netherlands in the previous matches by five wickets. Head-to-Head, England has a slight edge, winning 38 matches, while Sri Lanka has won 36. Heading into the upcoming game, both teams will be eyeing their second win of the tournament.
In this article, we take a look at the key player battles for the England vs Sri Lanka match in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
Dawid Malan vs Dilshan Madushanka
Dawid Malan couldn’t make much of an impact in the last two matches for England in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023. However, he has performed well this year in One-Day Internationals. He has slammed four ODI centuries in 2023, including one against Bangladesh earlier in the tournament. Malan will be keen to get some runs under his belt against Sri Lanka. However, he has to be wary of Dilshan Madushanka, who has been in good rhythm. Madushanka has taken 11 wickets in four matches so far and will be gearing up for the upcoming contest.
Kusal Mendis vs Reece Topley
Kusal Mendis started off the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 with a bang, scoring a fifty and a century. However, he hasn’t been able to replicate the same in the last two matches. Just like Malan, Mendis will be looking forward to making a comeback. He has to tackle Reece Topley in the upcoming match. Topley has been England’s leading wicket-taker so far, with eight wickets in three matches, including a three-wicket haul against South Africa.
Sadeera Samawickrama vs Adil Rashid
Sadeera Samawickrama played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s win against the Netherlands in their last game of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. He slammed an unbeaten 91 runs off 107 deliveries, with seven boundaries. He powered Sri Lanka to a five-wicket win, their first of the tournament. Sadeera Samawickrama will be facing Adil Rashid in the upcoming match. Rashid has had a decent tournament so far, picking six wickets in four matches. However, as Indian conditions favour spinners, he will be one of the bowlers to watch out for.
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