Saturday Nov 29, 2025
Saturday Nov 29, 2025
Friday, 29 August 2025 03:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka prepare for today’s first ODI at Harare Sports Club
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka will go with a 7-4 combination for the first ODI against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club grounds today playing seven batsmen, three fast bowlers and one spinner.
The early start at 9:30 a.m. with early assistance for the fast bowlers will make the rival captains tend to put the opposition in to bat first as reports at this venue have favoured the team chasing.
Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka will be the three seamers with Maheesh Theekshana as the solitary specialist spinner who will be assisted by Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage as back up bowlers.
Sri Lanka’s batting line up will remain the same except that Sadeera Samarawickrama will bat at No. 4 and at No. 7 Kamindu Mendis giving the Lankan batting more depth.
Sri Lanka are aware of what challenges lie ahead of them in the two-match series.
“Every series is important but I think we will have to break the barrier of not winning a series overseas since 2014,” said Sri Lanka head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. “We must try to fulfil that shortcoming we have when playing overseas. It’s a very important thing for us. To achieve that, we must win both ODIs.”
“Before we came to Zimbabwe our preparations went off well. We played a lot of practice matches, we prepared well for the series but at the end of the day it is the players who will have to go to the middle and perform.”
Zimbabwean squad at practice
Speaking of Sri Lanka’s approach to the series, Jayasuriya said, “We have played well in the ODIs. We are currently focusing on the ODI series first. We want to finish the ODIs on a good note. From the first game we have to put in 100 percent full effort and play.”
Because of the high altitude, Jayasuriya said the players have found difficulty in breathing.
“Here it is a bit high and the players had some difficulty adjusting to the conditions. We are about 3,000-4,000 feet above sea level so there are a few breathing issues. That is why we came about 2-3 days earlier to get settled to these conditions. The players are gradually adjusting to the conditions.”
