Following a thrilling tie in the opening game, the hosts Sri Lanka will take on India in the second ODI of the three-match series at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday.
This bilateral series acts as the beginning of India’s preparation for next year’s Champions Trophy. Sri Lanka had failed to qualify for the tournament but they have a huge task of rebuilding the side and this series is a good challenge for them.
India has entered a new era, with a new head coach Gautam Gambhir taking over the reins while Sri Lanka also has a change in the management with the former opening batter Sanath Jayasuriya coming in as the head coach.
What has happened so far?
After clinching the T20I series 3-0 on their tour of Sri Lanka, the Indian men’s cricket team had to settle for a tie in the first ODI on Friday. Opting to bowl first, India’s attack performed brilliantly, reducing Sri Lanka to 101 for 5. However, a resilient innings of 67 runs off 65 balls from Dunith Wellalage propelled the hosts to a competitive total of 230. Axar Patel impressed with figures of 2 for 33, while Arshdeep Singh also claimed two wickets.
Chasing the target, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma made his intentions clear with a massive six on the second ball of the innings. He went on to score 58 runs off 47 balls to provide India a solid platform but Sri Lankan spinners fought back to leave the visitors struggling at 132 for 5.
KL Rahul (31) and Axar Patel (33) added a 57-run partnership for the sixth wicket to help the team get closer to the target but both fell in back-to-back overs. Shivam Dube was India’s only hope in that critical situation and he delivered a vital knock, smashing 25 runs in 24 balls before getting trapped in front with the scores levelled. Needing only 1 run in 14 balls, Arshdeep Singh’s attempt to finish with a flourish saw him dismissed, leading to a tie.
Charith Asalanka was instrumental for Sri Lanka, taking 3 for 30 in 8.5 overs, complemented by Wanindu Hasaranga’s three wickets. For his all-round performance, scoring an unbeaten 67 and taking 2 for 39, Wellalage was deservedly named the ‘Player of the Match’.
Head to Head Record
The head-to-head record between these two Asian rivals in the fifty-over format is heavily in favour of India. Out of 170 encounters between the two, India has won 99 matches as opposed to 57 by Sri Lanka while two matches have ended in ties. In the last decade, this dominance has become even more evident, with India securing 21 wins and suffering only 3 losses.
Key Players
Nissanka made fifty in the first ODI
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka): Pathum Nissanka, a key player for Sri Lanka across formats, has been in impressive form. He scored a brilliant 79 off 48 balls in the first game of the T20 series against India and was one of their only two batters to score a fifty in the first ODI.
In his overall ODI career, Nissanka has a proven record, accumulating 2281 runs from 56 innings at an average of 44.72 and a strike rate of 90. His ODI career includes six centuries and 14 half-centuries, highlighting his consistency and reliability as a top-order batter.
Axar Patel (India): The left-arm orthodox spin all-rounder, Axar Patel, has proven to be a valuable asset for Team India across all formats. His performance in the first ODI was outstanding, as he claimed 2 for 33 in his 10 overs and contributed a crucial 33 runs with the bat.
Since the start of 2022, Axar has averaged 26 with the bat in ODIs, striking at 90, while also taking 17 wickets at an economy of 4.71. His ability to excel on spin-friendly pitches makes him a key player for India in this series.
Predicted XIs
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka ©, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
Prediction
India appears to be the favorites in the upcoming match, boasting a stronger lineup on paper. Their batting includes some terrific players such as Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Axar.
The bowling unit, featuring Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar remains potent enough. Sri Lanka has been depleted with multiple injuries but their spinners did an outstanding job in the first game. Their batting lineup lacks reliability and firepower and has been vulnerable against India’s bowling in the past.