Australia vs Sri Lanka Betting Tips
Australia to win
Sri Lanka higher score at 15 overs
Dunith Wellalage to be Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker
Kusal Mendis to be Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer
Marnus Labuschagne and Sadeera Samarawickrama to both hit three+ 4s each
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Australia to win
Australia and Sri Lanka don’t face each other that often in ODIs. Since the start of 2015 they have only played 12 times, with Australia winning eight. Steve Smith has played in six of those games and while he only averages 52.3 he has passed 50 four times. He will be desperate to convert a start into a big score.
Glenn Maxwell also has a good record against Sri Lanka in this time, averaging 62.6 and striking at 160. The bowling unit of Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Pat Cummins have excellent records too, averaging 19, 21 and 18 respectively. Australia are rightly favourites to turn around their poor start to the tournament. We’re backing Australia to Win.
Sri Lanka higher score at 15 overs
Previous tips on this World Cup have mentioned Australia’s attacking style of play in the early overs. However, this intent has not been successful so far with Australia’s batting order faltering in both matches. In this tournament Australia are only scoring at 4.6 runs per over in the powerplay while hitting only 10% of balls to the boundary.
That they have only attacked 45% of deliveries faced in the first 10 overs at this World Cup shows a change in approach, so Sri Lanka to have a higher score after 15 overs is a good shout.
Wellalage to be Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker
Since the 2019 World Cup, Australia’s batters have been dismissed every 38 balls against left-arm spin. Only the Netherlands have a worse record. At the tournament so far, Australia average a lowly 13 against left-arm spin while scoring at just 3.1 runs per over. Their line-up, stacked with right-handers, will be tested by Dunith Wellalage who may be in prime-position to pick up wickets.
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Mendis to be Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer
Kusal Mendis is in red-hot form. After scoring 158 off 87 against Afghanistan in the warm-up, Mendis hammered 76 off 42 against South Africa, then a scintillating 122 off 77 against Pakistan. Australia’s bowling headlines are the raw pace of Cummins and Starc and Zampa’s spin, but Mendis is well-placed to combat both of these threats.
This year, he is averaging 99 against spin, while also taking on fast blowing. The right-hander strikes at an incredible 269 while playing the pull shot and 265 when flicking against pace bowling. I like Mendis to be Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer.
Labuschagne and Samarawickrama to both hit three+ 4s each
Collectively, Marnus Labuschagne and Sadeera Samarawickrama have batted 31 times in ODIs in 2023. In 18 of these innings either Labuschagne or Samarawickrama have struck three 4s. The Australia has hit three 4s in 62% of his 2023 innings while the Sri Lankan’s figure is 55%.
It’s a fairly long-shot but, with both sides eager to get their first win on the board, keeping the ball on the ground is the order of the day, so Labuschagne and Samarawickrama to both hit three+ 4s each is well worth a look.
Australia vs Sri Lanka Betting Tips
Australia to win
Sri Lanka higher score at 15 overs
Dunith Wellalage to be Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker
Kusal Mendis to be Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer
Marnus Labuschagne and Sadeera Samarawickrama to both hit three+ 4s each
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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