Captain Steve Smith admitted on Tuesday the Champions Trophy could be on Australia’s thoughts when it performs Sri Lanka in two One-Day Internationals this week, the ultimate warm-ups for the eight-team event.
The Champions Trophy begins on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai, and 50-over world champion Australia is in a gaggle with England, South Africa and Afghanistan.
Australia faces Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday and Friday, recent from a dominant 2-0 Check sequence sweep.
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“I’d be mendacity if I mentioned the Champions Trophy wasn’t on the forefront of our minds – it’s a large ICC event for us,” Smith informed reporters in Colombo.
“Whereas our focus is firmly on ending this sequence on a robust word, there is no such thing as a denying that the Champions Trophy is looming giant. We wish to be sure that we stock good type into that competitors.”
Each ODIs will likely be performed as day video games, a rarity in trendy cricket.
The floodlights in Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium are out of motion as a part of renovations forward of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will likely be co-hosted with India.
“Day video games are fairly completely different,” Smith mentioned, including he couldn’t bear in mind his final ODI day match.
“However regardless of the situations, it’s going to be heat on the market, and we’re trying ahead to the problem”.
Earlier than coming to Sri Lanka, Australia held a coaching camp in Dubai to arrange for “difficult wickets” in Sri Lanka, mentioned Smith.
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“The batters discovered strategies to achieve these situations, the spinners labored on various their tempo, and the seamers fine-tuned their reverse swing,” he mentioned.
“We hope to carry all that into this sequence and end effectively.”
Sri Lanka didn’t qualify for the Champions Trophy after a dismal ninth-place end on the World Cup in India in 2023.
“It’s disappointing, little question about it – however there’s nothing that we are able to do about it now,” Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Charith Asalanka mentioned.
“What’s necessary is that we be sure that this by no means occurs once more”.
Asalanka mentioned the workforce wished to give attention to its successes – together with beating India in 2024 within the first ODI in 27 years.
“We have to construct on that momentum,” Asalanka added.