Scotland will be eagerly looking forward to the second ODI against visitors Sri Lanka after the first match of the series got washed out by rain. The hosts were very unlucky to miss out on World Cup qualification last year. Hence, they would want to give their heart out whenever they play against full member nations. Scotland have got a very good squad consisting of talented players like Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif and Michael Leask among others. Their skipper Kyle Coetzer has got a lot of experience under his belt and he leads the side with a lot of passion.
Sri Lanka on the other hand are a very young side as well. The potential is definitely there with some talented young players like Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Isuru Udana among others. However, the potential doesn't get transformed into performances always.
The senior players like Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga haven't been in the best of forms and hence they need to step up. Thisara Perera on the other hand has had a terrific start to 2019. He has played some blistering knocks and would be eager to carry that form into this series and the World Cup next month. There is a lot to look forward to Dimuth Karunaratne's performance in this match as he will be making his captaincy debut. It remains to be seen how Sri Lanka perform under his command.
This is a series that Scotland would desperately want to win in
Scotland will be eagerly looking forward to the second ODI against visitors Sri Lanka after the first match of the series got washed out by rain. The hosts were very unlucky to miss out on World Cup qualification last year. Hence, they would want to give their heart out whenever they play against full member nations. Scotland have got a very good squad consisting of talented players like Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif and Michael Leask among others. Their skipper Kyle Coetzer has got a lot of experience under his belt and he leads the side with a lot of passion.
Sri Lanka on the other hand are a very young side as well. The potential is definitely there with some talented young players like Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Isuru Udana among others. However, the potential doesn't get transformed into performances always.
The senior players like Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga haven't been in the best of forms and hence they need to step up. Thisara Perera on the other hand has had a terrific start to 2019. He has played some blistering knocks and would be eager to carry that form into this series and the World Cup next month. There is a lot to look forward to Dimuth Karunaratne's performance in this match as he will be making his captaincy debut. It remains to be seen how Sri Lanka perform under his command.
This is a series that Scotland would desperately want to win in order to prove a point. They would want to show that they belong to the highest level and rightly so. For Sri Lanka, however, this is a good opportunity to iron out chinks before the all important World Cup begins a couple of weeks later.
Weather and Pitch conditions: The pitch at Edinburgh is expected to be neutral. There will be definitely some swing on offer initially in Scottish conditions but it is going to be a good batting strip nevertheless. As far as the weather is concerned, scattered spells of light rain has been forecasted but we can expect a result in this match.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-Keeper: Kusal Perera (9 Cr)
He will keep the wickets in absence of Niroshan Dickwella. Moreover, he is one of Sri Lanka's best batsmen. He will bat at No. 3 or 4 and is known for his explosive nature with the bat. The true nature of the Edinburgh pitch will suit his style of play and he may find himself among runs in this match.
Batsman: Calum MacLeod (10 Cr)
MacLeod is one of the best associate batsmen in the world right now. He averages around 40 in ODIs and has eight centuries to his name as well. Most of those hundreds have come in the last couple of years and the Sri Lankan bowlers will find him to be a tough nut to crack.
All-Rounder: Thisara Perera (9 Cr)
The Sri Lankan all-rounder has been in very good form of late. His batting has gone on to an entirely different level whereas he has always had the knack of picking up wickets with the ball. He will bat lower down the batting order and will bowl at least get to bowl at least 70 per cent of his quota of overs if not more.
Bowler: Suranga Lakmal (8.5 Cr)
Lakmal thrives on swinging conditions. The chilly conditions in Edinburgh and the predicted rain will make the situation tailor-made for his kind of bowling.
Captain: Suranga Lakmal
Vice-Captain: Calum MacLeod
Predicted Playing XI:
Scotland: Kyle Coetzer(c), Matthew Cross(w), Calum MacLeod, Dylan Budge, George Munsey, Craig Wallace, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Alasdair Evans, Bradley Wheal, Michael Jones, Michael Leask
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne(c), Kusal Perera(w), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Suranga Lakmal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep
