*Official* Match 26 - Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe

[James]

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
Thu Mar 10
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local | 20:00 EST | 19:30 CST | 17:00 WST

Sri Lanka Squad

Kumar Sangakkara (captain/keeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Rangana Herath, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thisara Perera, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga

Zimbabwe Squad

Elton Chigumbura (captain), Regis Chakabva, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Terry Duffin, Craig Ervine, Greg Lamb, Shingirai Masakadza, Chris Mpofu, Tinashe Panyangara, Ray Price, Tatenda Taibu (wicketkeeper), Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams

 

[Himannv]

Must win game for Sri Lanka I reckon if they are to proceed to the next round.

 

[Howe_zat]

Zimbabwe have a game in hand over Sri Lanka, and it's against Kenya, so if Sri Lanka lose there's a very good chance of them exiting early. I don't see it happening though. Zimbabwe will be sending down Price and Utseya as their main weapon and the Sri Lankans notably play spin very well.

 

[Blaze 18]

As Salman would say, Sri Lanka to rip Zimbabwe a new hole. Predict an absolute mauling for Zimbabwe.

 

[0RI0N]

I expect the SL batsmen and bowlers to prosper.

 

[Howe_zat]

I expect the SL batsmen and bowlers to prosper.

I for one remain amazed at the fact you've managed to get 4 predictions in a row.

 

[Dhoni_fan]

Expecting SL to be pushed very close here, see this as a potential upset, but not sure Zimbabwe will hold their nerve!

 

[IndiaLose]

SL will win this easily. Zimbabwe all out at 130-150.

 

[0RI0N]

Of course I am looking forward to see the Mahela pic (the raised eyebrow) as he comes out to bat.
Prediction: Commentators to utter at least 5 cricket related cliches.

 

[Lostman]

Of course I am looking forward to see the Mahela pic (the raised eyebrow) as he comes out to bat.

Guy needs to really think of fixing the uni brow.

 

[Himannv]

Oh come on, you can make so many better shapes with one brow.

 

[TT Boy]

Sri Lanka to win and to win good. They lost to Zim last year but I can't think of another time they didn't beat a minnow and not beat them to a pulp whilst doing it.

 

[Flem274*]

Sri Lanka are the ultimate minnow maulers.

 

[vcs]

They will be under a bit of pressure to win this one so it will be interesting to see how they react to that. One or two early wickets for the Zimbabwe spinners would make it hard for the SL batsmen to take too many liberties in the power-play overs.

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't know what I'd do with Zimbabwe's eleven. Coventry really shouldn't be opening but Taylor aside neither should anyone else. Guess I'd just go with...

Taylor
Coventry
Taibu
Ervine
Williams
Chigumbura
Lamb
Utseya (I'd actually shunt him up the order if Zimbabwe were 4 down early)
Cremer
Price
Mpofu

Even though the balance isn't perfect at all, those are the only eleven in the squad I think should be in the squad at all, so I'm just gonna keep naming that lineup over and over I guess.

 

[TT Boy]

I don't know what I'd do with Zimbabwe's eleven. Coventry really shouldn't be opening but Taylor aside neither should anyone else. Guess I'd just go with...

Taylor
Coventry
Taibu
Ervine
Williams
Chigumbura
Lamb
Utseya (I'd actually shunt him up the order if Zimbabwe were 4 down early)
Cremer
Price
Mpofu

Even though the balance isn't perfect at all, those are the only eleven in the squad I think should be in the squad at all, so I'm just gonna keep naming that lineup over and over I guess.

Been replaced by Sibanda! **** knows what Hamilton has done. Would love to know as he scored over 1000 ODI runs in 2009.

 

[Prince EWS]

Been replaced by Sibanda!

Haha wasn't aware. I'd play SIbanda then and open with him. He probably won't leapfrog Duffin and Chakabva but he should IMO.

Taylor
Sibanda
Taibu
Ervine
Coventry
Chigumbura
Lamb
Utseya (I'd actually shunt him up the order if Zimbabwe were 3 down early)
Cremer
Price
Mpofu

Hamilton must have really blown up deluxe when he was dropped to get this treatment.

 

[vcs]

Haha wasn't aware. I'd play SIbanda then and open with him. He probably won't leapfrog Duffin and Chakabva but he should IMO.

Taylor
Sibanda
Taibu
Ervine
Coventry
Chigumbura
Lamb
Utseya (I'd actually shunt him up the order if Zimbabwe were 3 down early)
Cremer
Price
Mpofu

Hamilton must have really blown up deluxe when he was dropped to get this treatment.

Sibanda > Sehwag, after all.

 

[TT Boy]

I like Sibanda but he averages 8 against Sri Lanka in 11 ODIs. Highest score is 25 and he averages 7 against Sri Lanka on the subcontinent. Probably the worst ODI cricketer of all-time (statistically) who has played 50+ internationals (Sibanda is close to 100 ODIs...). If the 16 average isn't bad enough (excluding minnows + Bangladesh), its Sibanda's SR which tips it.

Should never play international cricket in coloured clothing.

 

[Prince EWS]

I like Sibanda but he averages 8 against Sri Lanka in 11 ODIs. Highest score is 25 and he averages 7 against Sri Lanka on the subcontinent. Probably the worst ODI cricketer of all-time (statistically) who has played 50+ internationals (Sibanda is close to 100 ODIs...). If the 16 average isn't bad enough (excluding minnows + Bangladesh), its Sibanda's SR which tips it.

Should never play international cricket in coloured clothing.

I still have faith.

A lot of those games were played when he was genuinely crap and shouldn't have been close to selection. He hasn't had much of a chance since he improved - admittedly he's an abysmal failure whenever he has played even since then, but he's got much chance of succeeding than Duffin and Chakabva at this point, who themselves are much, much better at four-day cricket than one-day cricket too.