02:00 PM UTC: Sri Lanka vs Namibia, Group A, First Round, Abu Dhabi
Sri Lanka and Namibia are going to clash in the second of the double-header match-up today Group A. Sri Lanka comes as the favorite for two simple reasons, the team plays a lot of international cricket against the top-eight ranked sides, and second, their bowling is well suited for the UAE conditions.
Despite the experience, Sri Lanka can’t take the Namibia side lightly. The team recently acquired David Wiese, who has a lot of experience playing in UAE, courtesy of his time in the Pakistan Super League. David is a pinch hitter but his main trade is bowling medium pace and has been effective for many years. Meanwhile, batter Craig Williams has looked in top form and can hit big runs.
Meanwhile, JJ Smit can be an effective late-middle order batsman while his bowling will also come into the equation on slow UAE tracks. Jan Frylinck has also wreaked havoc as a left-arm pacer and the bowling of the Namibians can surprise a few teams during the World Cup. However, there will be some concerns regarding batting, which can struggle against the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka is in a rebuild mode and has shown repeated inconsistencies. While Kusal Perera will remain a key player for the team, Avishka Fernando has been a tad inconsistent. In this case, Dinesh Chandimal will need to utilize his experience and improve upon the flailing tempo of the Lankans recently. Dasun Shanaka will also need to hit more runs than they have recently.
The bowling of Sri Lanka can create problems for the Namibians. While Lahiru Kumara can move the ball as a pacer, Dhusmanta Chameera has shown tremendous development, correcting his line and length in recent years. The pace of Chameera can be a worry for the Namibians. Wanindu Hasaranga is a key spin bowler who can crack open the batting with wickets and skipper Dasun Shanaka plays a crucial role in controlling the runs. Sri Lanka enters with an advantage but Namibians also have some all-rounders who can turn around the game.