Prepare yourselves to be packed with non-stop cricket action as along with the three International series set to start from the 27th of this month, we have yet another T20 Global league in the form of Lanka Premier League 2020 set to kick start from Thursday. The opening match of the LPL 2020 will feature the Angelo Mathews led Colombo kings and Kusal Perera led Kandy Tuskers.
The match was scheduled to take place at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota. Though the league had to face a lot of obstacles, from the non-availability of the stadiums and players to some payment issues, the board has managed to overcome all the obstacles and the league is all set to begin in a grand manner from the 26th of November.
The withdrawal of many star players like Faf du Plessis, Chris Gayle, and Wahab Raiz does come as a disappointment to both the franchises and the fans. The tournament still has a lot of star players to watch out for and also the platform could prove valuable for the Sri Lankan youngsters to showcase their potential. It is also to be noted that former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Indian pacer Munaf Patel are set to make a return to the sport and will be representing the Kandy Tuskers.
Who do you think can kick-off their campaign with a win? Will it be the Colombo Kings or the star-studded team of Kandy Tuskers?
Match Toss Time: 19:00 Local (19:00 IST)
Match Start Time: 19:30 Local (19:30 IST)
Match Venue: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota
Weather Report
The conditions are ideal for Cricket as clear skies are expected throughout the day. The temperatures are expected to be hovering in the range of 31- 25 degrees, while predominantly in the 28-degree range in the evening. The humidity is expected to touch 72% at peak and for that reason, the players will have to sweat it out on the field.
Pitch
The pitch in Hambantota is expected to be in favor of the batsmen as it will be a fresh strip. Said that the fast bowlers can get some movement early in the innings and that proves to be a good battle between the bat and ball. Overall, the batsmen can expect to have a good time except for the initial movement the pacers can generate. With the humidity on the higher side, the dew is expected to play a role and for that reason, the team winning the toss may look to the chase.
Team News
Sri Lanka Cricket will be more than happy to welcome cricket back after the forced break. Though several players pulling out of the tournament for various reasons does come as a blow for the league. The Colombo Kings will have to go ahead without the services of key players like Faf du Plessis and Mohammed Hafeez. There are no reports of any injury.
Kandy Tuskers on the other side will be missing out on one of the best T20 players in the World- Chris Gayle. They will also be playing without the services of English pacer Liam Plunkett, Pakistani spearhead Wahab Riaz, and Pakistani veteran Sohail Tanvir. Though the late inclusion of former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan and experienced Indian pacer Munaf Patel will ease the nerves of their camp.
Probable Playing Xl
Colombo Kings (CLK): Lahiru Udara, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Angelo Mathews(c), Ashan Priyanjan, Andre Russell, Isuru Udana, Manpreet Gony, Dushmantha Chameera, Qais Ahmed, Jeffrey Vandersay
Kandy Tuskers (KDT): Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Kusal Perera(c & wk), Brendan Taylor, Kamindu Mendis, Irfan Pathan, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Dale Steyn, Munaf Patel, Nuwan Pradeep
CLK vs KDT Fantasy Team
Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Laurie Evans, Asela Gunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Andre Russell, Irfan Pathan, Qais Ahmed, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep
Captain Picks: Kusal Perera (Kandy Tuskers), Dinesh Chandimal (Colombo Kings)
Vice-Captain Picks: Andre Russell (Colombo Kings), Asela Gunaratne (Kandy Tuskers)
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