India’s performance in the series opener against Sri Lanka on Saturday signaled the dawn of a potentially seamless transition. Only a month had passed since India bade farewell to stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in this format. Yet, the team quickly found replacements who deftly stepped into those massive shoes. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill dominated the powerplay by smashing 11 fours and three sixes, establishing a strong foundation for the team. Even though Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav know that one promising display doesn’t guarantee future success, having two openers aged just 24 and 22 with a wealth of T20 experience is reassuring for India’s fresh era.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, shouldn’t be too disheartened by their performance on Saturday. Under the leadership of Charith Asalanka, their top order put up a fierce fight during the batting PowerPlay, reminding India that their total of 213/7 was far from insurmountable. Though Asalanka lamented the lack of momentum in the middle order and the lackluster early-stage bowling, there were plenty of positives. Minor adjustments and strategic fine-tuning could put them in a strong position to level the series on Sunday in their pursuit of parity.
When: The second T20I between Sri Lanka and India is scheduled for July 28, starting at 07:00 PM Local time (7 PM IST).
Where: The match will be held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele.
Weather Prediction: Thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon, but conditions should clear by match time, setting the stage for another high-scoring game.
Team Insights:
Sri Lanka:
Injury/Availability: Sri Lanka emerged from the first game unscathed and are likely to stick with their initial XI.
Tactics & Match-ups: Asalanka might leverage Kamindu Mendis, his ambidextrous spinner. Mendis’s left-arm deliveries could pose a challenge to Shubman Gill, who has been dismissed four times by left-arm spin in T20Is. Additionally, Hardik Pandya, who typically excels against spin, has struggled against left-arm orthodox bowlers, scoring 76 runs in 84 balls with one dismissal in this format. Mendis could be a key player against India’s finishing line-up.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
India:
Injury/Availability: India also reported no injuries from the first T20I and are expected to maintain the same squad.
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Tactics & Match-ups: The match could feature another early contest between Pathum Nissanka and Axar Patel. The left-arm spinner Patel has dismissed Nissanka twice in 23 balls in T20Is, including during the series opener. Although Nissanka did challenge Patel during the PowerPlay in the first T20I, resulting in a substantial score. Another fascinating duel could involve Mohammed Siraj and Kusal Mendis. Heading into the series, Mendis had been dismissed four times in 29 deliveries by Siraj but managed to avoid dismissal in the first game despite facing three deliveries. Siraj will be looking for another showdown on Sunday.
Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj
Noteworthy Points:
– Dasun Shanaka has the most T20I wickets against India (14 in 22 matches) but was not used with the ball on Saturday.
– Suryakumar Yadav continued his dominance against Sri Lanka with a blistering 58 off 26 in the first game. His record now features three fifty-plus scores and a century in just six innings against Sri Lanka, with a strike rate well over 150.
Quotable Quotes:
“We were not up to the mark in the powerplay, but in the latter part, we came back pretty strong. Some stage, we thought they might get to 240, but we did well. Little disappointed with the way the middle-order batted, we could have done better.” – Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka
“What happens is when you continuously play cricket for India, you have some surety and when you do well in some pressure situations, you get some confidence. And each time you get confidence, you always learn from it. It’s not that you’ll always do well in pressure situations and you might fail as well. But, those situations teach you that I could have done things differently and that has taught me a lot in the last one year especially.” – Axar Patel
As both teams gear up for Sunday’s game, it promises to be another thrilling contest, with India aiming to seal the series and Sri Lanka looking for redemption. The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is set to host a match brimming with potential and exciting rivalries, making it a must-watch event for cricket fans worldwide.