The first T20I of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to be taking place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. After a brilliant start to the tour, the Indian team suffered a tough loss in the third and final ODI. But with a change in format, India will be eyeing to win the T20I series as well.
The likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be looking to seal their spot in the side with the T20 World Cup on the horizon. On the other hand, the hosts, Sri Lanka, will bank on their newfound momentum to continue their winning run.
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There is no denying the fact that the Sri Lankan team possesses an explosive batting unit with Avishka Fernando and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in fine form. However, they will need their bowlers to deliver consistent performances yet again if they are to clinch another win in what promises to be a cracking game on Sunday.
India
“We will field our best team,” Shikhar Dhawan said on the eve, effectively ruling out chances of Indian handing a lot of debut caps early in the T20I series. He went on to say that they’d consider ‘experimentation’ if they managed to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. This means the only real toss-up could be for the second leg spinner option, between Kuldeep Yadav and Rahul Chahar, or they can also go for Varun Chakravarthy. Sanju Samson also seems to be a better option than Manish Pandey in the middle-order for the T20Is.
Probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar/Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka
Three of the top four batsmen that played in England are missing from this series. But the in-form duo of Avishka Fernando and the impressive Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who scored 65 off 56 in his team’s win in the third ODI, should give confidence to the team management. Sri Lanka could also hand a debut cap to the 24-year-old Charith Asalanka, who finished the ODI series with 127 runs.
Probable XI: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera
Fantasy Suggestion #1:
Ishan Kishan, Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Dhananjaya de Silva, Hardik Pandya, Akila Dananjaya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vc), Dushmantha Chameera, and Rahul Chahar
Fantasy Suggestion #2:
Ishan Kishan (c), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, Suryakumar Yadav, Chamika Karunaratne, Hardik Pandya, Akila Dananjaya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera and Rahul Chahar
