Will Chaminda Bandara make his debut in Cardiff?

The fifth and final ODI between Sri Lanka and England will be worked out on Saturday (2nd July) at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and the visitors might be constrained to make some changes to their lineup.

The series is done and dusted, with the hosts’ winning securing a 2-0 unassailable lead after four games. The biggest talking point after the 6-wicket defeat Sri Lanka suffered in London, was their one-dimensional bowling attack which lacked penetration throughout the series.

England was only tested during the first ODI which went down to the wire and ended in a tie. The second game at Edgbaston saw the English openers rewriting history, hammering 254 for no loss in 34.1 overs. In the fourth game, the Poms recorded their second-highest ODI chase ever by reaching 308 runs in just 40.1 overs.

It is reported that Suranga Lakmal pulled his hamstring during the 4th ODI but the question remains whether he will be fit to play the 5th game. If he does not recover in time, he will be most probably be replaced by uncapped left-arm fast-bowler Chaminda Bandara.

Even if Lakmal does recover, Bandara, being the only available reserve seamer in the squad, may still come into the team in place of Farveez Maharoof, who has leaked 164 runs in 25 overs and has taken only one wicket in the ODI series so far.

“We might make a few changes, we have so many casualties. But it’s time to make a couple of changes” Mathews hinted at the post-match conference.

Bandara, who hails from St. Mary’s College, Kegalle has played 51 first-class matches over a span of 5 years and has taken 141 wickets. He bowled a stunning spell of 9 for 68 in his final first-class game which was played in March against Sri Lanka Army Sports Club.

He was the only fast-bowler to feature in the top 15 wicket-takers list in the recently concluded AIA Premier League Tournament 2015/16 with 33 wickets from 9 matches at an average of 26.30.

Bandara was drafted into the Sri Lanka Test squad prior to the 3rd Test at Lord’s and has been with the team since then, but hasn’t yet been given a chance to prove his worth. He is the only left-arm bowler in the current squad and might change the fortunes and the context of the Sri Lanka bowling attack if given the nod on Saturday.