Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first in its must-win Group A game against Netherlands on Thursday at the Twenty20 World Cup.

Netherlands is a surprise leader in Group A with two wins from two starts, but a loss to former champion Sri Lanka could have a big impact on its chances of going through to the Super 12 stage. A loss for the Dutch would leave them relying on United Arab Emirates to beat Namibia to advance.

Netherlands retained the same XI that beat Namibia in the last over, but Sri Lanka was forced to make two changes to the lineup that beat UAE by 79 runs after Dushmantha Chameera and Pramod Madushan were injured.

Chameera has been ruled out of the tournament with a calf muscle injury. Madushan’s hamstring is expected to recover for the second round.

Chameera is the third Sri Lankan to be ruled out of the tournament after Dilshan Madushanka (quad) and Danushka Gunathilaka (hamstring). Sri Lanka has replaced the three injured players with Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando and Ashen Bandara.

Squad:

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana.

Netherlands: Max O’Dowd, Vikram Singh, Bas de Leede, Tom Cooper, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (captain), Roelof van der Merwe, Tim Pringle, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaassen and Paul van Meekeren.

Source - AP

-Agencies