After losing the opening game to Jaffna Kings, Colombo Strikers made a strong return, defeating B-Love Kandy in the second match. Next up, the Niroshan Dickwella-led side will take on Dambulla Aura, who looked a bit shaky with the bat in their third match of the season. Meanwhile, the strikers will be aiming to keep up with the momentum. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Sri Lanka international Matheesa Pathirana did a commendable job in the last match and thus, they will back themselves to get the job done once again.
Dambulla meanwhile has struggled with the bat in the initial stage. That is one area that the team needs to get better at. Opener Avishka Fernando in the last match tried to give a good start but despite getting the start, the 25-year-old failed to get going. However, Dhananjaya de Silva’s impressive performance helped the team finish well against B-Kandy Love. On the other hand, their bowlers have done a good job so far in the tournament and that remains one of their strengths.
Match Details:
Tournament: Lanka Premier League 2023
Match: Colombo Strikers vs Dambulla Aura – 8th Match
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Date & Time: Saturday, August 5, 3:00 PM (IST)
Where to Watch Live: Star Sports and FanCode
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The surface at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is likely to favour the spinners. Batting first will be ideal in such a scenario and anything over 160 will be a good total on the surface.
Probable Playing XIs-
Colombo Strikers (CS):
Niroshan Dickwella (wk/c), Babar Azam, Pathum Nissanka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohammad Nawaz, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Jeffrey Vandersay
Dambulla Aura (DA):
Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk/c), Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Alex Ross, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Hayden Kerr, Binura Fernando, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ravindu Fernando, Noor Ahmad
CS vs DA Head-to-Head
Overall
Played – 7, B-Colombo Strikers – 3, Dambulla Aura – 4, NR- 0
Probable Best Batter of the Match
Avishka Fernando – Dambulla Aura
Dambulla Aura opener Avishka Fernando is getting the start for the team but hasn’t been able to convert them. In three matches so far, the cricketer has scored 85 runs and will be aiming to get better in order to help his team qualify for the next round.
Probable Best Bowler of the Match
Matheesa Pathirna – Colombo Strikers
20-year-old Matheesa Pathirna has had an impressive start in the ongoing Lanka Premier League. He has picked up four wickets in two matches and will be aiming to continue in a similar fashion.
Today’s Match Prediction: Batting first team to win the match
LPL prediction – CS vs DA