Sri Lanka (SL) and India (IND) are all set to continue their ongoing ODI series by facing off in the third and final ODI of the series at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Wednesday, August 7. The series began with the first ODI ending in an unfortunate tie, with the Men in Blue facing a batting collapse. The hosts were high in confidence after the opening game and had the same belief walking into the second game.
And they said the middle overs in an ODI are dull. India and Sri Lanka (SL) are playing a series where all of the action is contained in the exact period where the 50-over format tends to be dull. And that’s largely because they have been playing these games – the first of which ended in a tie – on pitches that challenge a batter, in ways that extend far beyond technique.
SL vs IND : Previous Performances
The series began with the first ODI ending in an unfortunate tie, with the Men in Blue facing a batting collapse. The hosts were high in confidence after the opening game and had the same belief walking into the second game
Batting first, Charith Asalanka-led side posted a total of 240/9 in their allotted 50-overs. Avishka Fernando and Kamindu Mendis were joint highest scorers with a score of 40. In reply, India started confidently with Rohit Sharma leading from the front. But after Sharma, no other batter could do the job for the visitors which eventually cost them the game and they fell 32 runs short of the target.
SL vs IND : Head to Head
| Matches | 170 |
| Won by Sri Lanka | 58 |
| Won by India | 99 |
| No Result | 12 |
| First played | June 18, 1979 |
| Last played | August 4, 2024 |
SL vs IND : Pitch Report
The R Premadasa Stadium’s pitch initially presents a dry surface favorable to batters. However, as the match progresses, the pitch tends to slow down, potentially giving bowlers an advantage. Spinners, in particular, may find the Colombo pitch beneficial, as it’s likely to offer both turn and bounce. The team that wins the toss will look to bat first.
There are chances of showers in Colombo both leading up to and during the game, but it is unlikely that the whole thing will be washed off. Spinners have bowled twice as many balls (812 vs 351) as the quicks and picked up almost four times as many wickets (29 vs 8). Consider yourself warned.
SL vs IND : Big Picture : The ODI learning curve
And they said the middle overs in an ODI are dull. India and Sri Lanka are playing a series where all of the action is contained in the exact period where the 50-over format tends to be dull. And that’s largely because they have been playing these games – the first of which ended in a tie – on pitches that challenge a batter, in ways that extend far beyond technique.
The Khettarama is asking people to play cricket thinking two overs ahead; to avoid the expansive drive just even if the ball seems to be tossed up, because that juicy half-volley is actually going to dip and turn to go past the middle of the bat and take the edge through to slip.
Restraint is the very thing that India have spent the better part of two years beating out of themselves, but now it is the very thing that stands between them and a bit of a black mark on a very proud record. They have lost only five out of 22 bilateral ODI series.
They have won the last 10 rubbers against Sri Lanka – a streak that will come to an end regardless of the result on Wednesday – and that is tribute to the way this Sri Lanka side has performed even though it is missing several first-teamers. They are certainly shading the middle-overs battle, averaging 24.7 and losing only 10 wickets to India’s 17.8 and 14 wickets.
Throughout the series, the aggression of Rohit Sharma at the top of the order has made Sri Lankan fans wax nostalgic about the days when their line-up was littered with all-time greats too. In the same way perhaps, India fans might be looking at Dunith Wellalage, all of 21 years old, shepherding Sri Lanka through back-to-back collapses like someone who used to do it for them. He is one of two men in this series to strike at better than run a ball and the other one has been playing this format for almost as long as he has been alive.
Whether India win and level the series or Sri Lanka win and claim it 2-0, these three games are likely to be an important learning curve for both teams and that is a check in the box next to why bilateral ODI cricket is still worth it (just, does it have to be eight hours long.
SL vs IND : Vital Stats that matter
- Sri Lanka last beat India in a bilateral ODI series in August 1997.
- Rohit has hit 90 of his 122 runs in this series in fours and sixes.
- Charith Asalanka has 11 ODI wickets from 61 matches; 10 of them have come against India, six in this series.
SL vs IND : Probable Playing 11
Sri Lanka:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk.), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (C), Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando.
India:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
SL vs IND Fantasy XI : Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Pathum Nissanka, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis (wk.)
SL vs IND : Probable Top Performers of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Rohit Sharma
India skipper Rohit Sharma could be the best batter in the upcoming third ODI against Sri Lanka. The veteran opener has been in exceptional form, scoring back-to-back fifties. In the first ODI, the 37-year-old scored 58 followed up by 44 ball- 64 in the previous match. Sharma will look to give India another blistering start and will hope to hit a hattrick of fifties.
Probable Best Bowler: Jeffrey Vandersay
Sri Lanka’s Jeffrey Vandersay could be the best bowler in the final ODI against India. In his quota of ten overs in the second ODI, Vandersay recorded his career-best spell and finished with the figures of 6/33. The leg spinner demolished the strong Indian batting line-up and helped his side secure their first win of the series.
SL vs IND : Match Prediction
Scenario 1
Sri Lanka win the toss and opt to bat first
PP Score: 45-55
Score: 235-245
India to win the match
Scenario 2
India win the toss and opt to bat first
PP score: 65-75
Score: 245-255
India to win the match