ODI World Cup 2023: India vs Sri Lanka; Team news, history, squads and more
As India takes on Sri Lanka in a highly anticipated World Cup match, we revisit the magic of the 2011 World Cup and the stark contrast this encounter presents.
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FollowSri Lanka and India are set to lock horn in a World Cup encounter. Team India has been on an impeccable journey, chasing their third title, while Sri Lanka has faced more defeats than victories. India's recent form is impressive, remaining unbeaten in six consecutive games and showing a remarkable ability to mount comebacks. Twelve years have passed since the unforgettable night of April 2011 when India, a nation of billions, celebrated in sheer euphoria. Now, India is set to face Sri Lanka in another World Cup showdown, but this encounter couldn't be more different from that historic final.
While the 2011 World Cup final was a battle of titans in every sense, this upcoming match is more akin to a contest between unequals. India has been on an impeccable journey, chasing their third title, while Sri Lanka has faced more defeats than victories.
India's confidence is sky-high, bolstered by the skills and resilience they exhibited during challenging moments in recent matches.As they take the field in this World Cup, India is poised for success. However, their opponents must raise their performance to another level when facing Rohit Sharma's formidable team.
One notable addition to India's squad is Mohammed Shami, who, as a forced selection to compensate for Hardik Pandya's absence, has delivered an exceptional performance with nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul in just two appearances. However, the team's strategists, led by Captain Rohit and Coach Rahul Dravid, recognize the need to preserve Shami for future battles.
While India's confidence remains unwavering, there are lingering concerns about the performance of the young talents, including Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who entered the World Cup with strong one-day performances but are yet to make a significant impact.
Gill, who missed two games at the start, has only managed to score one fifty since his return, facing criticism for what are termed as 'soft dismissals.' The stage is set for him to shine once more.
Iyer, on the other hand, has only one fifty to his name from six outings. Although he contributed an unbeaten 53 against Pakistan, there have been missed opportunities to score big and close out games.
As the World Cup unfolds, Iyer's motivation to perform on his home ground at the Wankhede Stadium and for local heroes like Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shardul Thakur remains high.
Rohit, India's top run-scorer in the World Cup with 398 runs, averaging 66.33, aspires to create more memorable moments in front of his passionate home crowd.
Sri Lanka, while not pushovers, has faced challenges in this World Cup, especially after an outstanding performance in the qualification round. Injuries and the unavailability of key players have added to their woes. Nonetheless, their young talent has an opportunity to compete against a high-quality opponent at their best.
Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in the World Cup with 331 runs, has achieved notable milestones, including one century and a fifty. Pathum Nissanka, who has scored over a thousand ODI runs this year, is another player to watch, with four consecutive fifties in the tournament.
Captain Kusal Mendis remains Sri Lanka's finest batsman, despite the return of Angelo Mathews, who has already delivered a match-winning performance.
Sri Lanka's bowlers have performed reasonably well given their lack of experienced players, and they hope to put up a fight against the formidable Indian batsmen in ideal batting conditions.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (c&wk), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne.
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