T20I series mein jo zillat jheli hai, uske baad Sri Lankan fans bas itni dua kar rahe hain ki bhai, kam se kam thodi fight toh dikhao. South se lekar Manchester tak, har jagah English batters ne Lankan bowlers ki aisi dhulayi ki hai ki Durham ki thand mein bhi unhe paseene aa rahe honge. England ne matches jeete nahi hain balki Sri Lanka ka mazaak udaya hai, kabhi 12 overs mein target chase kiya toh kabhi 9 overs mein hi kaam tamam kar diya.
To kahani ye hai ki:
Ab format badal raha hai lekin Sri Lanka ki kismat badalti dikh nahi rahi. ODI format unka pichle kuch saalon mein sabse kamzor kadi raha hai, yahan tak ki wo pichle saal ki Champions Trophy ke liye qualify tak nahi kar paye the. Is saal ki shuruat mein England ne unhe unke hi ghar mein 2-1 se haraya tha. Durham mein halaat aur bhi mushkil hone wale hain kyunki Harry Brook ki form kisi Prophecy se kam nahi lag rahi.
Lekin Sri Lanka ke liye ek silver lining ye hai ki wo ranking mein abhi sixth position par hain, jiski wajah se 2027 World Cup ke liye unka rasta lagbhag saaf hai. Captain Kusal Mendis wapas aa chuke hain aur unke saath Coach Gary Kirsten ki strategy par sabki nazar hogi. Kya Lankan Lions mein itna dum bacha hai ki wo is rampant England side ko thodi takkar de sakein?
Analysis & Numbers
- Harry Brook ka dominance: Captaincy karte waqt Brook ka average 51.82 ho jata hai, jo unke normal average se dugne se bhi zyada hai. Sri Lanka ke khilaaf unka average 92 ka hai.
- Kusal Mendis ka ODI record: Is saal Mendis ne 4 innings mein 211 runs banaye hain jiska average 70.33 hai, jo dikhata hai ki batting mein unka touch barkaraar hai.
- Team Changes: England ne Tom Banton ko opener ke taur par jagah di hai, wahi Adil Rashid ki jagah leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed ko laya gaya hai.
- Sri Lankan Bowling: T20Is mein pitne ke baad Asitha Fernando ko test-match intensity lane ke liye XI mein shamil kiya ja sakta hai.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Seedhi baat ye hai ki Sri Lanka is waqt ventilator par hai. Sirf competitive hona kafi nahi hoga, unhe extraordinary cricket khelna padega. Harry Brook ki form aur England ki home dominance ko dekhte hue, ye match ek aur ODI shellacking ki taraf ishara kar raha hai. Agar Mendis aur Asalanka ne lambi innings nahi kheli, toh Durham mein Lankan team ki thand se nahi, balki English bowling se kkapkapane wali hai. England is clearly the favourite here.
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