SL vs AUS | Warner, Smith & Maxwell return as Australia announce Playing XI for T20 opener

Australia's tour of Sri Lanka will commence on June 7, 2022, which includes a three-match T20I series, five one-day internationals (ODI) and two Test matches.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) has announced the playing XI for the first T20I, which is scheduled to be played on June 7 2022 (Tuesday) at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.  

Australia has followed the same template of three pacers that won them the T20 World Cup earlier in November 2021. Ashton Agar and Kane Richardson have made it to the playing XI in place of Pat Cummins, who has been rested and Adam Zampa, who is missing the series due to the birth of his first child. 

According to Aaron Finch, as reported by cricket.com.au, the conditions for the match at the R. Premadasa Stadium to be 'greener-than-expected'. Hence, selection has been made keeping the situation in mind. 

"There was a temptation there (to play two spinners), but having seen the conditions over the last couple of days, the square is quite green, there's been a lot of rain around and the outfield is quite heavy," Finch told reporters on Monday.

"Expecting there to be a bit of spin there but it might be a tacky sort of spin. It's not a dry square, it's not a dry surface by any stretch."

"There hasn't been a huge amount of cricket here and with it being the wet season, the wickets are under covers a lot more than what they generally would," Finch added.

Matthew Wade will don the wicket-keeping gloves. The wicket-keeper batter averages 36 with a strike rate of 146 from six T20Is while batting in the middle order. 

The Aussies batting stars David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith, who missed the recent T20Is against Sri Lanka at home and Pakistan, are back in the playing XI, and so are the pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Australia XI for first T20I v Sri Lanka: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (Wk), Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood 

Australia Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022

Sri Lanka T20 Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Mahesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan. Standby: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella

Australia T20 Squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade