Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey

SL vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | SL vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Australia 1st ODI Key Players | Pallekele Pitch Report

The return of the five-match ODI series. This campaign is a bit of a blast from the past, as this series will not count towards the ODI Super League but solely preparation ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Sri Lanka will be aiming to build on their morale-boosting victory in the third T20I. Australia will be seeking to perform in similar conditions to what they will face in India in the 2023 World Cup. Runs for both top orders will be on the agenda, as these two sides would be keen to settle on combinations going forward.

Pat Cummins returns for Australia to partner Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson in what looks a potent frontline seam department. So, Sri Lanka’s top order will be challenged to deliver in the early stages to set a platform with regular spinner Adam Zampa missing due to paternity leave. However, Sri Lanka’s bowling lineup has the potential to produce against an Australia side that could be rusty as a number of their players are short in 50-over cricket in recent years.

SL vs AUS 1st ODI Possible Playing 11

Sri Lanka have a decision to make on the keeper-batsman slot. They could play Kusal Mendis, but Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal are also available. In fact, Dickwella smashed 83 off 73 balls for Sri Lanka A against Australia A a few days ago.

Sri Lanka: 1. Danushka Gunathilaka/Niroshan Dickwella, 2. Pathum Nissanka, 3. Kusal Mendis (wk), 4. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5. Charith Asalanka, 6. Dhananjaya de Silva, 7. Dasun Shanaka (c), 8. Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Chamika Karunaratne, 10. Dushmantha Chameera, 11. Maheesh Theekshana

Aaron Finch has confirmed Australia’s XI for the first ODI.

Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. David Warner, 3. Steve Smith, 4. Marnus Labuschagne, 5. Alex Carey (wk), 6. Marcus Stoinis, 7. Glenn Maxwell, 8. Ashton Agar, 9. Pat Cummins, 10. Jhye Richardson, 11. Josh Hazlewood

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

• Dasun Shanaka continued his love affair with Pallekele in the third T20I. His magnificent 54* off 26 balls got Sri Lanka home. Also, the SL captain has a good ODI record on this ground: 7 inns, 292 runs, avg. 48.66, SR 114.06.
• Charith Asalanka is back in his most preferred format. He struck two half-centuries in three ODIs on this ground earlier this year and has 472 runs in 11 ODIs at an average of 42.70.
• Kusal Mendis has a top score of just 36 in his last six ODIs. However, Sri Lanka could look to play him as he has two half-centuries in six ODIs against Australia: 6 inns, 204 runs, avg. 34.00, SR 82.59.
• Dhananjaya de Silva struck scores of 68 and 30 for Sri Lanka A against Australia A last week.
• Can Wanindu Hasaranga make a smooth transition from T20 to ODI cricket? He will be seeking to improve on his bowling record in ODIs: 29 wickets in 29 matches, avg. 37.89, econ. 5.03.

Australia:

• David Warner has struck the most runs of any current Australia player against Sri Lanka. The left-hander has 670 runs in 17 matches at an average of 36.70 and strike rate of 83.42.
• In the four times Warner has crossed 50 against Sri Lanka, he has converted it into a century three times.
• Aaron Finch will be after a big series. The skipper has good numbers against Sri Lanka in ODIs: 8 inns, 342 runs, avg. 42.75, SR 114.00.
• Steve Smith struck consecutive 62-ball centuries in his last ODI series, vs India in 2020. He is one to watch with more time to get settled in ODI cricket. He has scored three half-centuries in eight ODI innings vs SL, with a total of 304 runs at an average of 38.00.
• It is also Glenn Maxwell’s first ODI series since 2020. He has struck 202 runs in six ODIs vs Sri Lanka at an average of 40.40 and strike rate of 154.19, including one century.
• Pat Cummins also returns to the ODI fold. He took 2/38 in his only ODI vs Sri Lanka to date.
• Josh Hazlewood has been in wonderful form in T20s, and will be looking to replicate his immaculate line and length in the ODI arena too. He has 93 wickets in 56 ODIs at an average of 25.08 and economy of 4.71.

Other Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 98, Sri Lanka 33, Australia 61, N/R 1.
• Australia has won six of the past seven ODIs against Sri Lanka since the start of 2015.
• David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins will be playing their first ODI since the India series in 2020.
• Marnus Labuschagne in ODIs: 15 innings, 561 runs, avg. 37.40, SR 91.51.
• Wanindu Hasaranga could be used early to Aaron Finch. The leg-spinner has dismissed Finch four times in 27 balls in T20Is and Sri Lanka may look to try this matchup early in the ODIs.

Pallekele Pitch Report and Weather

Earlier this year, Sri Lanka chased 297 comfortably vs Zimbabwe, followed by Zimbabwe defending 302. Then, Zimbabwe were rolled for 70. Also, in the third T20I, there were periods where the batsmen found it difficult to get going, but as the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Dasun Shanaka showed, big hitting is possible.

There is a chance of storms throughout the day, so the captain who wins the toss may choose to chase.

SL vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction 14 June 2022

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Fan2Play Prediction

Base Team:

• Wicket-Keepers: Kusal Mendis
• Batsmen: David Warner, Charith Asalanka, Steve Smith
• All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Glenn Maxwell
• Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins

Match Prediction

Chasing might prove crucial in this match, but Australia start as favourites and should win with their experience.