The Asia Cup 2023 is currently underway, with a thrilling encounter on the cards as Sri Lanka and India prepare to lock horns at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. After winning the toss, India has opted to set the scoreboard rolling by batting first.
Rohit Sharma has observed that the pitch appears somewhat dry, devoid of any grass. This has led to a strategic change in the Indian line-up, with the third spinner, Axar Patel, stepping in for Shardul Thakur.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, expressed that he would have also preferred to bat first. He highlighted the growth of their young players into senior roles, praising the performances of Wellalage, Samarawickrama, and Matheesha Pathirana.
Shanaka expressed hope for the continuation of their momentum in today’s match against a strong Indian side. He emphasized the need for Sri Lanka to deliver a quality game of cricket. The Sri Lankan team remains unchanged for this match.
The weather may play a significant role in the outcome of this crucial match.
Following the speedy wrap-up of the Pakistan vs India match, India is all set to step onto the field for the third consecutive day. India will take on the home side Sri Lanka.
However, there’s a looming threat of rain which could potentially disrupt the game. If the match is washed out due to rain, both teams will share a point each.
Despite this, India would retain their position at the top of the Asia Cup points table, courtesy of their substantial victory margin against Pakistan.
In order for an ODI match to be officially recognised, both teams must complete at least 20 overs each. This rule will be crucial in determining the outcome if rain does interrupt play.
The weather forecast for Colombo during the match is somewhat mixed. According to AccuWeather.com, there are no chances of rainfall in Colombo during the morning.
However, rain is expected to return around 1:00 PM PST, half an hour before the scheduled toss time at 2:00 PM PST.
The forecast suggests that rain will continue in Colombo until 2:30 PM PST. However, no rain is predicted from 2:30 PM until 8:30 PM PST. The weather during the IND vs SL match is expected to improve after 8:30 PM.
For a reduced 20-over game per side due to rain interruptions, the cutoff time is set at 10:06 PM PST. This means that if play can start by this time, a result can still be achieved.
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana.