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T20 World Cup 2021, England vs Sri Lanka (Super 12) Preview: England looks to virtually seal semis berth

On Monday, England and Sri Lanka will lock horns in their Super 12 encounter of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in Sharjah. A win would virtually seal England's place in the semis, while a loss would allow Lanka to stay in contention.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021, ENG vs SL (Super 12) Preview: Team analysis, head-to-head, pitch, probable, fantasy xi-ayh
Author
Sharjah - United Arab Emirates, First Published Nov 1, 2021, 6:30 AM IST

It would be another attractive battle on the cards, as two former champions England and Sri Lanka, collide in Group 1's Super 12 clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday. It would be a crucial clash for both, as a win would virtually seal England's semis berth, while a loss would keep Lanka in contention. Here is the match preview by us.

Current form
England remains unbeaten in the tournament so far, having won all the three in the Super 12. It lost and won a game each in the warm-ups. On the other hand, Lanka was off to a decent start to the tournament, winning all the three in the Group Stage, while in the Super 12, it has won one and lost a couple. As for now, it's England that's the favourite.

LIVE SCORECARD: ICC T20 World Cup 2021, England vs Sri Lanka (Super 12)

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Team strength & weaknesses, and players to watch out
Considering the teams, England is loaded with formidable batters, with 11 compared to eight bowlers, making the department its biggest strength. Its top-order will have a task at hand, while the middle-order looks a bit dicey since skipper Eoin Morgan has not been in the best of form. Nonetheless, the focus would come to Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Chris Jordan.

As for South Africa, its strength is the batting department, despite not having the excellent opener Faf du Plessis services. Nevertheless, David Miller, Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, and Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada would have the onus upon themselves to put on a show. Its bowling, too, can be equally effective and should not be taken lightly.

ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2021, AFG vs NAM (Super 12) - Relentless Afghanistan routs Namibia by 75 runs

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Injury concerns, head-to-head, weather and pitch report
None of the sides has any significant injury concerns. The two have met on 12 occasions, with England leading 8-4, while in the competition, they have clashed on four instances, with England having a lead of 3-1. The Sharjah weather would be warm, with 35 degrees of expected temperature and 52% humidity. The track would remain somewhat slow, while the dew factor would make the side winning the toss bowl first.

Probable XI
England:
Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wk), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan (c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid and Tymal Mills.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana and Lahiru Kumara.

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Fantasy XI
Batters:
Rajapaksa, Asalanka, Nissanka- The Lanka trio with the batters list, with Asalanka giving the right start, while Nissanka would fire at number three. Also, Rajapaksa would consolidate in the middle.
Wicketkeeper: Buttler (c)- He is undoubtedly the man in explosive form and is a no-brainer here.
All-rounders: Hasaranga (vc)- He has been heavily effective with the ball, making him a must-have, while he can contribute with the bat decently too.
Bowlers: Rashid, Woakes, Chameera, Mills, Kumara, Theekshana- Rashid has surprised everyone with his spins, while the remaining five are expected to be deadly with their pace, as they have been heavily impactful so far.

Match details
Date and day:
November 1, 2021 (Monday)
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (Also available in HD, along with regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar

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