When it comes to the head-to-head records between the two teams- India and Sri Lanka in the 50-over format, the Blue Brigade registered just their second-tied clash against the home side in the history of One Day Internationals (ODIs). With a series margin of 0-0, both will go into the second SL vs Ind game of the three-match series to take the first lead.
Even though the 50-over format has displayed the importance of batters firing up in an aggressive mindset during the powerplay, i.e. the first 10 overs, it also becomes quite important for the batting side to keep wickets in hand, so that the set batters could stretch on to score big knocks.
Since the start of this year 2023, India has been clinical in changing the old template going into the second SL vs Ind ODI clash, When it comes to the individual scoring freely, their captain Rohit Sharma has scored the most runs in this period during the first ten overs.
The right-handed opening batter has smashed 851 runs in 26 innings, at an average of over 85 and a strike rate of 120.10, besides celebrating three fifties too, which has been quite thrilling. He has also nailed 97 boundaries and 50 over boundaries during the session, along with his ten dismissals.
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His opening partner, Shubman Gill has found the supreme touch too in the powerplay, having collected 700 ODI runs in 30 innings, with an average of 116.67, which tells how rarely he gets out in this tenure, and a strike rate of nearly 100. He has also belted 111 boundaries and 14 sixes during this time.
This has been why the two-time champions have been successful in scoring quick runs and that too at a dominating average of over 60 and a strike rate of 100 in the first powerplay of the innings.
In the case of the Sri Lankan side, since the start of the year 2023, going into the SL vs Ind 50-over games, their opening batter Pathum Nissanka has displayed his class with 783 runs in 36 innings, at an average of over 71 and a strike rate of nearly 91, shouldering on 120 boundaries and eight sixes, as he smashed a fifty too in the first ten overs.
However, the main reason behind the struggle of the host where they have scored at a strike rate of only 80 is because of the irregularity in the opening partner of Nissanka. Kushal Mendis, coming at number three, likes to take his time as he has notched up 371 runs in 31 innings at a strike rate of around 75.
SL vs IND Head-to-Head Records
| Matches Played | 169 |
| Sri Lanka Won | 57 |
| India Won | 99 |
| No Result | 11 |
| First Played | June 16, 1979 |
| Last Played | August 02, 2024 |
SL vs IND Teams
Sri Lanka’s Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kushal Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk.), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Mahesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana.
India’s Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk.), Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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SL vs IND Best Players Prediction
Best Batter Prediction: Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has a different love story with the bat in hand against Sri Lanka, in both the white-ball formats. When it comes to the ODIs, the right-handed opening batter has scored 1922 runs in 51 innings at an average of 45.8 and a strike rate of over 95, celebrating eight fifties and six centuries at a best score of 264.
Best Bowler Prediction: Wanindu Hasaranga
The leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga from the home side has picked up seven wickets in nine ODIs during the SL vs Ind ODIs, at an average of over 53 a strike rate of over 60, and an economy rate of 5.29, with a best-of 3/37.
SL vs IND Match Winner Prediction
Despite the tied result, India was clinical in most of the game and should go 1-0 in the second ODI of the series.