New Delhi: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, is getting thrilling with every match as it now enters its middle phase.
Having their worst World Cup start in 31 years, the five times champions Australia has already lost two out of the two games they played this year, and to make matters even worse, spirited Afghanistan’s huge 69 runs-winning upset against England saw the mighty Aussies slip at the bottom of the points table, due to the Inferior net run-rate.
Australia is now one of the only three teams who are yet to register a single win in this year’s tournament, the other two being Australia’s opponent on Monday, Sri Lanka and the surprise entry Netherlands.
The Aussie skipper, @patcummins30 drops some truth bombs! 😐
Will Australia finally find a W today? 👀
Tune-in to #AUSvSL in the #WorldCupOnStar
Today, 12.30 PM | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/zNllhTt10S— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 16, 2023
When Australia takes the field against the Lankan team at Lucknow on Monday, they will be trying to get the two disparate points to kickstart their sixth World Cup title hunt.
Sri Lanka suffers a major blow
“I don’t have anything to change, I hope to play in the same way as I have played so far” 💬
Kusal Mendis shares his thoughts on his new role in the pre-match press briefing.#CWC23 #LankanLions pic.twitter.com/0Wsd4Zi1G0
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 16, 2023
On the other hand, the 1996 World Cup champions and 2011 runner-ups Sri Lanka will also be looking to register their first win and start their journey in the points table.
However, the turnaround is not going to be easy for the Sri Lankan Lions, as they suffered a huge blow right before their match against the Aussies, in the form of their Asia Cup 2022 winning captain Dasun Shanaka, who is ruled out of the tournament due to thigh injury.
Chamika Karunaratne is named as the replacement player for the Lankan captain, while the in-form batsman Kusal Mendis is named as the replacement captain for the rest of the tournament.
Australia vs Sri Lanka, head-to-head
Notably, Australia and Sri Lanka have faced each other eleven times in the ICC ODI World Cups, where Australia have managed to defeat the Sri Lankan lion eight times, while Sri Lanka have managed to secure a win only two times, both in their successful 1996 campaign, one match ended in no-contest between the two.
Sri Lanka, who last won a match against Australia at the World Cups in 1996, will be looking to end their 27-year winless streak against the baggy green, while Australia will leave no stones unturned to make sure this year’s edition of ODI World Cup does not turn out to be the worst world cup campaign in their cricketing history.
Journey at CWC 2023 so far
Both Australia and Sri Lanka look to get their first win of #CWC23 🏏
Who takes home the points in Lucknow?#AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/q7S7NuHJzi
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) October 16, 2023
So far, both the teams have played two matches at the ICC CWC 2023, and have lost in both.
Australia suffered heavy defeats of 6 wickets and 139 runs against India and South Africa, respectively, while Sri Lanka went down against South Africa and Pakistan by 102 runs and 6 wickets, respectively.