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Hambantota: Sri Lanka will be hoping for a rousing start to their campaign when they take on Zimbabwe in the opening match of the World T20 2012 at Hambantota on Tuesday.
Hosts will expect to make a brisk start as they open the country's biggest tournament since independence with high hopes of claiming a second global title.
In Hambantota, the home town of President Mahinda Rajapakse, Sri Lanka should encounter few problems against minnows Zimbabwe as they raise the curtain on Twenty20 cricket's three-week, 12-nation, world championship.
Sri Lanka have yet to emulate their 50-over World Cup victory in 1996, despite reaching the final again last year. They were World Twenty20 runners-up in 2009 and went out in the semifinals in 2010.
Despite a fast and furious format which makes predictions unwise, Mahela Jayawardene's team start as slight tournament favourites because of home advantage and because they are known as a team for the big occasion.
Along with newly crowned cricketer of the year Kumar Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan will expect to do damage with the bat, while Sri Lanka can also call on talented all-rounders Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga and unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis complete a formidable line-up which will also be familiar with the varied conditions in the capital Colombo, steamy hill town Pallekele and coastal Hambantota.
Sri Lanka's new spin bowling hope Akila Dananjaya already feels so at home in the setup he has commandeered a senior team mate as a chauffeur.
The confident 18-year-old's rapid rise from obscurity means he has been named in Sri Lanka's 13-man squad for the World Twenty20 opener against Zimbabwe in Hambantota on Tuesday despite never having played an international match.
After only six Twenty20 matches in club cricket all coming last month, Jayawardene is not expecting too much of the offbreak bowler despite his self-assuredness.
On otherhand for Zimbabwe, Hamilton Masakadza is the only Zimbabwe player to have scored more than 500 runs in Twenty20 Internationals and he holds the record for the highest individual score for Zimbabwe in T20Is.
Masakadza's 79 against Canada in October 2008 is Zimbabwe's highest individual score, followed by Brendan Taylor's 75* against New Zealand in February 2012.
All six of Zimbabwe's top wicket-takers in T20 cricket are in their squad for this tournament. Prosper Utseya leads the charts with 16 scalps followed by Elton Chigumbura, Ray Price, Jyle Jarvis, Graeme Cremer and Chris Mpofu.
Teams from:
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Shaminda Eranga, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Dilshan Munaweera, Akila Dananjaya Perera.
Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor (captain & wk), Stuart Matsikenyeri, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Richard Muzhange, Forster Mutizwa, Ray Price, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori.
Pitch and conditions
The pitch is expected to have something in it for the seamers, so much so that Brendan Taylor said he does not expect much turn. Temperatures are expected to be warm, between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, with up to 80% humidity but little chance of rain.
Stats and trivia
Match facts
Tuesday September 18, 2012 (day/night)
Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)
