India vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I: Match Preview, Playing XI and broadcast details

India will start as the favourites, but Sri Lanka will be looking to spring a surprise on the ‘Men in Blue’.

Published - 23 Feb 2022, 15:27 IST | Updated - 23 Feb 2022, 15:27 IST

3 Min Read

The cricket schedule has become so jam-packed these days. Just 3 days after the conclusion of the T20I series against the West Indies, the Indian side will lock horns with the visiting Sri Lankan side in a short three-match T20I series. The series will be over in a jiffy, as the 3 matches will take place over the course of 4 days.

It is familiar territory for India, as the series will be played at home. Rohit Sharma and his men walloped the West Indies in their previous T20I series at home and whitewashed their opponents 3-0. Ravi Bishnoi also made an impressive debut for the Indian side in limited-overs cricket and bamboozled the West Indian willow wielders with his leg-spin, and Venkatesh Iyer also showed that he can be seen as a long term prospect in the middle order.

Same is the case with Sri Lanka. Their T20I series against the Australian side in the land of the kangaroos concluded only on 20th February 2022, but they will travel to India, with another series scheduled even before they come to terms with it.

Sri Lanka experienced a run in Australia that they would like to forget. The Sri Lankan side was outplayed by the Aussies and went down in the five-match T20I series by a margin of 1-4. Pathum Nissanka was brilliant in the T20I series, scoring 184 runs in 5 innings, while Dushmantha Chameera made life tough for the Aussies, picking up 7 wickets in 5 matches.

India will start as the favourites in this series, but Sri Lanka will be looking to spring a surprise on the ‘Men in Blue’ in this T20I series.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch is a good one for batting, and the willow wielders can get reward for their shots. The pitch will also offer some turn as well.

Playing Combinations for IND vs SL

India

India have rested Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant for this series. Suryakumar Yadav has also been ruled out with a hairline fracture as well, and one out of Deepak Hooda or Sanju Samson might take his place in the side. Veterans Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah will return to action in the 1st T20I for India as well. Ishan Kishan is likely to partner skipper Rohit Sharma at the top. India will go with 2 specialist spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and rookie Ravi Bishnoi.

Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda/ Sanju Samson, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka suffered a major blow ahead of the series, as their all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out after failing to recover from Covid-19, and Praveen Jayawickrama will replace him in the playing XI. Sri Lanka will also field Maheesh Theekshana as the second spinner, while pacers Dushmantha Chameera and Binura Fernando will complete the bowling attack.

Nissanka and Mendis will open the batting, while the likes of Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Janith Liyanage, and Dasun Shanaka will complete the batting lineup.

Predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (C), Chamika Karunaratne, Praveen Jayawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando