Chris Silverwood, the head coach of Sri Lanka, would have been wary of the November 5 match against his former team England at Sydney following Sri Lanka's defeat to Australia in the T20 World Cup Super 12. However, the 47-year-old tactician chose to remain modest about the upcoming match, saying his team will play with "due diligence" and adequately prepare for Jos Buttler's side.
Following pressure from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in the wake of his team's dismal performance in the Ashes Down Under earlier this year, Silverwood, the head coach of England, was forced to resign. When asked if he was "looking forward to that clash against England," Silverwood responded that he knew the topic would come up.
"I anticipated that would arise. I predict it'll be a fantastic game (against England). Of course, it will be wonderful to see some old acquaintances there as well. But personally, I'll approach that game in the same way and prepare for it in the same way I would for any other, really.
"Since we have to win this game, we'll take all necessary precautions. I'll get ready for it. We'll make certain to do good preparation.
However, Silverwood emphasised that his team was willing to confront England "head on."
We'll attempt to take them on head-on, but we also know they're a strong team, so we need to be ready for them, Silverwood continued.
When asked if Sri Lanka had a strategy to contain Stoinis or if the Australian simply took off without anyone knowing it, Silverwood responded that he did have a strategy for the all-rounder but that the players' skill neutralised the tactic.
On Tuesday, Australia overcame Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Perth. As the hosts chased down 157 to win the match, Stoinis slammed the joint second-fastest T20 World Cup half-century.
"No, a ruse was usually used" (for Stoinis). As with anything, the players are allowed to play well, and today (Tuesday) was his day based on the way he came back at us and certainly struck the ball. We had ideas that were obviously very well thought out. He was extraordinary once more. He challenged us to a duel.
Yes, Stoinis deserves credit for that. It was incredible how he entered the game and played. He demonstrated his immense authority and undoubtedly made our lives very challenging. He performed exceptionally well, so kudos to him, said Silverwood. "We knew Australia would have to come at us hard because of the run rate and other factors, but he played incredibly well.