Nissanka, Pathirana in focus as SL tune up for Asia Cup with Zimbabwe T20Is

Sri Lanka are on the hunt for batters who can finish with big hits, and right now, that role is being filled by Dasun Shanaka. But are there better options in those positions? Seam-bowling allrounder Chamika Karunaratne is in the squad, as is spin-bowling allrounder Dunith Wellalage, both of whom have been working on their batting. Batting allrounder Vishen Halambage is also around. This has long been a problem area for Sri Lanka, and they will be keen to figure out their best lower-order hitters before the Asia Cup begins, in a little over a week.

Sri Lanka's squad is packed with multi-dimensional cricketers, but Zimbabwe favours allrounders even more. With Sikandar Raza, Brad Evans, Ryan Burl, Sean Williams, Tony Munyonga and Brian Bennett all in the side, they will almost certainly have variety in their XI. In the ODIs, Sri Lanka's batters largely prospered against Zimbabwe's middle-overs bowling options, but on a large Harare Sports Club ground, in a more explosive format, Zimbabwe have various avenues through which to target Sri Lanka batters' weaknesses. Both captains will have an array of bowling resources at their disposal, which means both are likely to be flexible with their bowling plans.

If it's a series against Sri Lanka, Raza will be making runs. He's been outstanding against this opposition in ODIs especially, but has only faced them in three T20Is so far. No one in the Zimbabwe side picks Sri Lanka's spinners better than Raza, as evidenced by scores of 92 and 59 not out in the ODIs. With Wanindu Hasaranga out of this series through injury, Raza's chances of succeeding in he middle overs again are higher. And while Sri Lanka will not be daunted by his bowling, he has tended to bowl plenty of cheap overs against them in the past.

Since June, Pathum Nissanka has been outstanding. He hit hundreds in each of Sri Lanka's Tests against Bangladesh in June, and although he hadn't been quite as good in the T20s against Bangladesh, he did clobber a 16-ball 42 in the one match Sri Lanka won in that series. He was an obvious choice for Player of the Series in the ODIs, having top-scored in both matches. If he is effective in T20s in the next six months though - in which there is an Asia Cup, and a T20 World Cup which Sri Lanka are due to co-host, he could take his career into the stratosphere.