IND vs SL Match Preview

Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama have exhibited exceptional form. Mendis, in particular, demonstrated his prowess by scoring a remarkable 91 in the previous match, marking his third half-century knock of the tournament. His performance was complemented by Samarawickrama's support.

Nonetheless, the hero of the night was Charith Asalanka, who exhibited remarkable composure under immense pressure and led his team to victory on the very last ball. Sri Lanka, however, has identified a few areas that require improvement before Sunday's match.

The openers have struggled throughout the tournament and will aim to deliver a better performance. Additionally, the batting form of Dasun Shanaka remains a concern. While Matheesha Pathirana has been the standout bowler with 11 wickets, he has occasionally strayed from his line, resulting in extras. Furthermore, Maheesh Theekshana sustained an injury during Thursday's match, and updates regarding his availability are eagerly awaited.

If Theekshana is unable to participate in the upcoming game, Dunith Wellalage will shoulder a significant responsibility on his young shoulders.

Throughout the series, Rohit Sharma and Shubhman Gill have consistently provided the team with commendable starts, while Virat Kohli is exhibiting a resurgence in his prime form. The inclusion of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan in the team has bolstered the middle order with an abundance of firepower. Kuldeep Yadav has demonstrated his worth and emerged as India's leading wicket-taker, thereby justifying the selectors' trust in him.

The new ball attack will be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, while Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja will endeavor to restrict the opposition's scoring during the middle overs.

Weather Report

The weather is once again likely to remain overcast and we will have some showers throughout the day.

Pitch Report

The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium is well-balanced and isn’t the easiest to bat on. While India did score 356 runs against Pakistan, the rest of the teams have found it a bit difficult to get going after the bowlers. That said, once the batsmen settle down, they can play their shots. A score of about 260 is a par score. The spinners will be key for both teams.

Notable stats

Pathum Nissanka: Key Batter for SL

Pathum Nissanka is the most successful batsman for Sri Lanka in 2023. He has scored 817 runs at an average of 48.05. His knocks include 5 half-centuries and 2 centuries.

Team News

Maheesh Theekshana suffered an injury on Thursday and will be unavailable for the finals. Also, Axar Patel picked up a couple of niggles during the match against Bangladesh, and Washington Sundar has been named as a likely replacement for him. 

 

IND vs SL Probable 11

IND Playing 11

  • Rohit Sharma (C)
  • Shubhman Gill
  • Virat Kohli
  • KL Rahul (Wk)
  • Ishan Kishan
  • Hardik Pandya
  • Ravindra Jadeja
  • Shardul Thakur
  • Jasprit Bumrah
  • Mohammed Siraj
  • Kuldeep Yadav

SL Playing 11

  • Pathum Nissanka
  • Kusal Perera
  • Kusal Mendis (Wk)
  • Charith Asalanka
  • Sadeera Samarawickrama
  • Dhananjaya de Silva
  • Dasun Shanaka (C)
  • Dunith Wellalage
  • Dushan Hemantha
  • Matheesha Pathirana
  • Pramod Madushan
This is not the official playing 11 for the match. This is a prediction of the expected playing 11 for each team based on the writers analysis.

Dream11 Prediction

We are backing India to win this match. They are the most successful team in the history of the Asia Cup, lifting the title on 7 occasions. They have played exceedingly well this time around and their solid record against the Sri Lankans should give the team plenty of confidence heading into this contest. 

 

Top Picks

Kusal Mendis: Kusal Mendis has scored 3 half-centuries in the last 4 innings and is the top-scorer for Sri Lanka in this tournament.

Shubhman Gill: Shubhman Gill scored an excellent century in the last match, which was his 3rd 50+ score in this tournament. He is also the leading run-scorer for this series.

Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja is a reliable all-rounder who also has an electric presence on the field. He has picked up 6 wickets so far and can do considerable damage with the bat. 

 

IND vs SL Dream11 Team 1

Keeper: K Mendis

Batters: V Kohli, R Sharma, S Gill (C), S Samarwickrama, C Asalanka

All-rounders: R Jadeja, D Wellalage

Bowlers: J Bumrah, M Pathirana (VC), K Yadav

IND vs SL Dream11 Prediction - OCB Team Prediction