Australia will now play two ODIs in Sri Lanka before travelling for the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. (AP)
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board on Wednesday confirmed the addition of another game to their upcoming home series against Australia, starting January 29 in Galle.
The series was originally slated to comprise of the two-match Test series for the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy, besides a solitary ODI before Australia travel to Pakistan for the forthcoming eight-team ICC Champions Trophy.
The intrigue around the Test series has subsided after the World Test Championship points table was taken out of the equation by the Aussies who booked their spot the final after beating India 3-1 at home. Sri Lanka, ranked fifth, can finish as high as third if they manage to whitwash the Aussies 2-0 in Galle in the Test series.
However, having not qualified for the Champions Trophy for the first time in the history of the tournament, Sri Lanka have added an additional ODI for Australia on February 14. The Aussies will then open their Champions Trophy campaign against England on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The two matches will be the only preparatory games with which they head into the tournament. Australia announced their squad on January 13 with an injured Pat Cummins named skipper of the provisional squad. However, in his absence, Steve Smith will lead the Test team in Sri Lanka.
The 2023 ODI World Cup champions have only made their changes to their title-winning squad, with Matt Short, Aaron Hardie and Nathan Ellis replacing the retired David Warner, Cameron Green and Sean Abbott in the 15.
Revised Sri Lanka vs Australia series schedule:
First Test: 29 January – 2 February, Galle
Second Test: 6 – 10 February, Galle
First ODI: 12 February, Colombo
Second ODI: 14 February, Colombo
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