Ayaz Memon breaks down upcoming Australia-Sri Lanka match

The match may be pivotal to the success of the Aussies, who have won World Cups more often than any other team

Transcript

00:00 Mayaz Mehmed with the World Cup update.

00:02 Australia meet Sri Lanka in Monday's game and how crucial is this match for the Aussies?

00:06 They've looked unfocused and in fact quite fatigued in this tournament so far.

00:12 They've lost two matches and against Sri Lanka, also struggling a bit.

00:18 They must fancy their chances. It's not just that they must fancy their chances.

00:21 I think they need to get going in this tournament otherwise they'll be left way behind.

00:26 One thing which could work in their favour is that the Sri Lankans have been reduced to haplessness.

00:32 They've had injury problems before they came here.

00:34 For instance, Balindu Hasaranga, their key player, is missing.

00:38 He's not come on the tour at all.

00:40 And now the big blow is that their captain, Dasun Shanaka, has had to go back because of a thigh injury.

00:46 So that leaves the Sri Lankans in a fairly desperate situation.

00:52 Yes, they've got players like Kusal Mendis, Dhananjay De Silva and some of the others who've done well.

00:59 Not well enough to win but they've done well.

01:01 But this is the best chance for the Aussies.

01:05 Now the Aussies, it's a fabulous team on paper.

01:09 Australia has won the World Cup more often than any other team.

01:13 So one would imagine that that kind of legacy would inspire the players to do better.

01:18 But they better start doing it urgently.

01:22 What's been the problem for Australia?

01:24 The pace attack, Cummins, Hazlewood, Mitchell-Stark hasn't looked really venomous.

01:34 It's not looked like it would blow aside a batting opposition.

01:38 But I think what's hurt them perhaps even more in the first few games is the lack of sting in Adam Zampa.

01:44 The World Cup is being played in India, the pitches will help the spinners.

01:48 But they don't seem to have got any reward for that.

01:51 The best spinner so far has been Glenn Maxwell and that tells its own story.

01:55 Where the batting is concerned too, Warner has been iffy and Mitch Marsh just hasn't got going.

02:03 The best batsman so far on evidence what we've seen is Steve Smith to an extent minus Labuschen.

02:10 But the kind of heft that Australia had or should have, or what the team on paper reflects, not to be seen.

02:20 So it's an important match for both teams.

02:24 Of course for Sri Lanka also to stay alive in the tournament, but more so for Australia

02:28 with all the mighty reputation that they bring along with them.

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