The beleaguered Australian team that finds itself in a rut of injury setbacks and poor form could finally have something positive going for it this World Cup after news that captain Mitchell Marsh could feature in its do-or-die clash against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
The opening batter will participate in his first training session since suffering internal bleeding following a blow to the groin during practice ahead of the match against Ireland.
“Mitch is going to have a training session today. I think he’s confident. Obviously, he’s been in a bit of pain over the last week or so. I think a lot of those questions will be answered today through training,” all-rounder Marcus Stoinis told the media on the eve of the encounter.
Stoinis also confirmed that he will be fit to play against the co-host after copping a hit to his hands while in his follow-through during the defeat against Zimbabwe.
READ | Misfortune-struck Australia takes on Sri Lanka in hope of avoiding exit
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka fielding coach R. Sridhar threw his weight behind young leggie Dushan Hemantha, who had an expensive outing against Oman after being drafted in as an injury replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga.
“It’s not easy to fill in the shoes of Hasaranga. He commands respect from some of the best batters in the world. But I think he [Hemantha] has responded well. The advantage for him is not many have seen him or played him in [the] international circuit. He may bamboozle a few of the Aussie batters with his variations,” Sridhar said.
Published on Feb 15, 2026
