England, reeling from the crushing defeat they suffered at the hands of South Africa in their previous game, will try to make sure that they manage to put up a decent showing against the Lankans in Bengaluru on Thursday. The Lankans provide good fodder for the Englishmen to recover and put their campaign back on track. At the same time, Sri Lanka will feel that they can use the fragile English side to resurrect their campaign and get a win under their belt. If there is any time that Sri Lanka will feel that they can upend the defending champions of the World Cup, it is now.
Probable Playing XIs
England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c & wk), David Willey, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka.
Key Players
Jonny Bairstow: Although wicketkeeper-opener Jonny Bairstow has yet to get going in the World Cup, he can be counted upon to get his side off to a good start in this crucial game.
Kusal Mendis: Sri Lanka’s captain, Kusal Mendis, has a tough task on his hands on Thursday, but he will try to put the Englishmen under as much pressure as possible. His batting and wicket-keeping have been top-notch this tournament.
Match Prediction
Sri Lanka have a good chance of beating England and claiming a win in this game. The latter do not have a good opportunity, and the morale in their dressing room is shattered. Sri Lanka can make an opening here.
