![England v Australia [ICC Champions Trophy 2013]](https://data1.ibtimes.co.in/en/full/379024/england-v-australia-icc-champions-trophy-2013.jpg?h=450&l=37&t=27)
Host England take on Sri Lanka in the eighth game of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2013 on Thursday. It is a day-night game to be played at Kennington Oval, London.
Match Overview:
Thursday's match is crucial for both England and Sri Lanka with the former needing a win to find a place in the semi-final while the latter will be out of the competition if they concede loss.
England come into the contest after a 48-run win against the much-favoured Australia in the previous game. They will be keeping their eyes firmly set on the semi-final when they take on Sri Lanka, as a win will almost confirm their place in the last four.
It's 'do or die' match for Sri Lanka after losing the opening game to New Zealand by one wicket. They need to win the Thursday's game to stay in the competition. So, they need to pull out all the stops on Thursday or bag their bags.
Previous Meetings:
England have 26-24 win-loss record against Sri Lanka in their 50 ODI encounters. They have met twice in the Champions Trophy and England won on both occasions.
Team News:
England: Ian Bell (91), Jonathan Trott (43) and Ravi Bopara (46) were the top scorers in the previous match against Australia. Skipper Alastair Cook gave a reasonable start with a knock of 30, and he will be expected to lead from the front. They also have Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan in the batting line-up.
James Anderson took three wickets and Tim Bresnan took two in the previous match. They bowled out Australia for 221, which is commendable. They also have Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Joe Root and Bopara in the bowling line-up.
Sri Lanka: They posted just 138 runs on the board with wickets falling like nine pins in the previous game. Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 68, was the only performer. They have Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Janith Perera, Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimal in the batting line-up. They need to put their acts together in order to pull out a win.
Lasith Malinga gave a fantastic spell in the previous game, almost driving the team home with a four-wicket haul. Shaminda Eranga took two wickets, while Rangana Herath and Dilshan took a wicket each. They did a good job defending a very low total though they conceded a one-wicket loss.
Prediction:
Sri Lanka are a well-balanced side, but England appear to be the favourite to win on Thursday considering their good record at home.
Squads:
England: Alastair Cook (Captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shaminda Eranga, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis, Kushal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lahiru Thirimanne, Chanaka Welegedara
Where to Watch Live
The match will kick off at 5:30 PM IST on Thursday and it will be telecast live on Star Sports and Star Cricket channels. It will also be live streamed online on Star Sports official website.
