Sri Lanka v Australia ODIs: All you need to know

Match details

Who: Sri Lanka v Australia

What: Two one-day internationals

When: 12 & 14 February 2025, 3:30pm AEDT first ball

Where: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

How to watch: Channel 7, 7plus

Live scores: First ODI, second ODI

Officials: 

First ODI: Chris Gaffaney and Prageeth Rambukwella (on-field), Adrian Holdstock (third)

 

Second ODI: Adrian Holdstock and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (on-field), Chris Gaffaney (third)

Highlights, news and reactions post-play: cricket.com.au, the CA Live app and the Unplayable Podcast. Listen and subscribe to the podcast below: 

The squads

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga

Despite Sri Lanka not taking part in the Champions Trophy, selectors have resisted the urge to blood some new players, with only one change from the squad that toured New Zealand earlier this year, trimming it by one with the omission of seam-bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe. 

Australia: Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Adam Zampa

There's been quite a bit of change since this squad was first announced in early January! Five players have dropped out of the original 15-man group, with the latest being Mitch Starc who has returned to Sydney (personal reasons). He joins Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Marsh who are all absent injured while Marcus Stoinis has retired. In come Test squad members Sean Abbott and Cooper Connolly, along with domestic stars Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson and Tanveer Sangha. 

Tour fixtures

First Test: Australia won by an innings and 242 runs

Second Test: Australia won by nine wickets

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3:30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3:30pm AEDT)

Broadcast info

Both ODIs of Australia's tour of Sri Lanka will be broadcast live and free on Channel 7 and the 7plus app, with both to begin at 3:30pm AEDT. 

It's the first non-Ashes overseas men's tour shown on free-to-air TV in Australia since Mark Taylor's team played in South Africa in 1997.

Local knowledge

The Aussies have a bit of experience at the R.Premadasa Stadium, having played three matches there in 2022 (for one win and two losses) and twice in 2016 (one win and one loss). Travis Head hit 70no (at No.6) here in 2022 while Matt Kuhnemann made his ODI debut. 

Since their first fixture there in 1992, Australia's fast bowlers have had more success on the relatively low-scoring ground. However looking at the overall stats, there's very little separating the quicks and the spinners, with the slower bowlers proving to be slightly more economical. 

For those interested in the name, Ranasinghe Premadasa was Sri Lanka's third Prime Minister and the longest-serving uninterrupted PM in the country's (short but sweet) history. 

Rapid stats

• Alex Carey (1978) needs 22 runs to reach 2,000 in the format, which would make him the 30th to the milestone for Australia in men's ODI

Possible line-ups

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando 

There will be at least one change to the XI they most recently rolled out in ODIs against New Zealand. But it's a solid squad, even if one that couldn't qualify for the Champions Trophy. The form of Kusal Mendis, who scored 85 and 50 not out in the second Test in Galle makes him one to watch. Captain Charith Asalanka is an exciting batter when he gets going, as it Kamindu Mendis who didn't fire in the Test series. 

Australia: Matt Short, Travis Head, Steve Smith (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha, Spencer Johnson

With five of Australia's first-choice XI now scrubbed out of the Champions Trophy, time is running out to nail their ideal combination in the 50-over format. There shouldn't be too many surprises in the top six, but given the turnover of bowling options there is any number of ways lower order could be structured. 

For these matches in Sri Lanka a few extra spin options could be wise, giving opportunities to Tanveer Sangha and Cooper Connolly. 

Why a two-game series?

Originally, this was supposed to be just one ODI, effectively acting as both sides' warm up to the Champions Trophy. However, both boards decided they could squeeze in a second and thus will play two games in three days, both in Colombo, before flying out to Pakistan right after. 

It'll be Australia's first bilateral two-match ODI series since losing 2-0 to England in 1980.  

Head-to-head stats

Overall: Sri Lanka 35 wins, Australia 64 wins, four no results

In Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka 17 wins, Australia 15 wins, three no results

Past 10 years: Sri Lanka four wins, Australia nine wins

Most runs (overall): Kumar Sangakkara 1675, Ricky Ponting 1649, Mahela Jayawardene 1629, Adam Gilchrist 1511, Aravinda de Silva 1451

Most runs (in Sri Lanka): Ricky Ponting 589, Kumar Sangakkara 526, Mahela Jayawardene 436, Kusal Mendis 423, Aravinda de Silva 400

Most wickets (overall): Lasith Malinga 48, Muttiah Muralidaran 48, Chaminda Vaas 47, Brett Lee 38, Glenn McGrath 36

Most wickets (in Sri Lanka): Upul Chandana 19, Muttiah Muralidaran 18, Sanath Jayasuriya 13, Mitch Starc 12, Lasith Malinga 11

Form guide

Past 10 matches, most recent first. W: win, L: loss, N: no result   

Sri Lanka: W L L N W W L W W W

Sri Lanka's 50-over record is very strong since a disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, winning five of seven series in that time. While they dropped series to New Zealand (1-2) and Bangladesh (1-2) in foreign conditions, at home they've won five straight: over New Zealand (2-0), West Indies (2-1), India (2-0), Afghanistan (3-0) and Zimbabwe (2-0). 

Australia: L L W W L L W W W W

After a 3-0 sweep of West Indies in early 2024, Australia had to wait until September for their next 50-over assignment, a five-game series in England. They walked away with an impressive 3-2 victory in the UK while using some inexperienced players, but were soundly beaten when they returned home at the hands of Pakistan, whose pace bowlers dominated in a 2-1 victory in November. 

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka squad: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3:30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3:30pm AEDT)