GROS ISLET, ST LUCIA: Kevin Pietersen will be hellbent to ensure that the first game his newborn son witnesses has the KP trademark stamped on it. The out lander has single-handedly taken England to the semi-finals and after missing the last game, he will be back to take the juggernaut further in the ICC World T20 Championships.
Pietersen will be up against a buoyant Sri Lankan outfit, who blighted India ruthlessly in their previous game.
Kumar Sangakkara’s men have been one of the most impressive sides in the tournament and barring their match against Australia, have played the perfect game. Their batting has been outstanding with the classy Mahela Jayawardene leading the pack.
Jayawardene’s sublime form coupled with players like Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews and Chamara Kapugedera makes them a formidable batting unit.
The slow St Lucia pitch will suit Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers. Though Muttiah Muralitharan will be missed, young Suraj Randiv has risen in the ranks and is making giant strides. Randiv troubled the Aussies and will be one of the key players England have to watch out for on Thursday. He will also be crucial in Keeping the in-form Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright in check during the middle overs.
To tackle Sri Lanka’s batting, England will turn to tweakers Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy, who have been terrific so far. But against strong players of spin like Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Dilshan, this will be the duo’s toughest test.
England’s most experienced bowler Ryan Sidebottom will have the responsibility of taking care of Jayawardene and Co. early in the innings. On the other hand, Sri Lanka would look to take early control by picking on Sidebottom.
Another lip-smacking contest will be between Pietersen and Lasith Malinga. Pietersen annihilated Dale Steyn and he will target Malinga as well to break the back of the Lankan bowling.
The Lankan spearhead will look to send the champion batsman as soon as possible, in view of the destruction he caused against South Africa in a short span of time. Sangakkara has to be careful in rotating bowlers with Pietersen in the middle as apart from Malinga, they lack experience and Pietersen can make them bleed.
But for England it has not only been about Pietersen. Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter have finally sorted out England’s batting woes while Morgan and Wright have been the perfect finishers for them. Morgan has already won them two games on his own and is the ideal man to take over from Pietersen. Paul Collingwood’s low scores will be a worry but count the England skipper to come good in a crunch rubber.
The game promises to be a cracker with strong Lankans taking on a side that has suddenly found new vigour. It will be a battle of aggression against wit when Pietersen’s flamboyance clashes with Sangakkara’s accumen.
Teams
England (probable) 1 Michael Lumb, 2 Craig Kieswetter, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Luke Wright, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Graeme Swann, 9 Michael Yardy, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Ryan Sidebottom.
Sri Lanka have been far less settled through the tournament so far. Mendis missed out against India but could return for an England side less used to him.
Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Mahela Jayawardene, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt, wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Sanath Jayasuriya, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Chanaka Welegedera.
Pitch and conditions
England may have adapted well to the conditions against New Zealand in their last game, but the slow and low surface in St Lucia will suit Sri Lanka. Their batsmen proved a touch shy of the pace and bounce in Barbados but will be much more comfortable here.
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