India will take on Sri Lanka in the 33rd match of the Men’s World Cup ODI 2023 in Mumbai on Thursday, 2nd November. The hosts are having an excellent campaign, remaining unbeaten in the tournament thus far. The Men in Blue are the only team to remain undefeated, with six wins on the trot. Sri Lanka are struggling to keep their ship afloat in the tournament. The Lions have won only two games and suffered four defeats in six matches. Sri Lanka suffered a shocking defeat to Afghanistan in their previous match. The hosts India are at the top of the points table with 12 points whereas Sri Lanka are on the sixth spot with 4 points.
In the Men’s World Cup ODI, India and Sri Lanka have faced off against each other nine times since 1979, with each side winning on four occasions and one match ended with no result. The last encounter between the two teams in the tournament was in 2019 when India defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets. The upcoming match is expected to be exciting as the Men in Blue will look to keep up their dominance whereas Sri Lanka will hope to bounce back after two successive defeats in the tournament.
Players To Watch Out For
1. R Sharma (IND): The Indian captain is in brilliant form in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the previous match against England, R Sharma played a knock of 87 off 101 balls to help India post a decent total of 229/9 on the board. The 36-year-old is the best-performing captain in the tournament, with 398 runs, including a century and two fifties, at an average of 66.33 and a strike rate of 119.16 in six matches. After falling for a duck in India’s opening match against Australia, R Sharma came out with all blazing guns and anchored the innings at the top in the subsequent matches. When he is in his rhythm, Sharma can pose a big threat to the opposition’s bowling attack. Team India’s captain will look to keep his good form in the upcoming match against Sri Lanka.
2. K Mendis (SL): K Mendis is one of the best batsmen for Sri Lanka in the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against Afghanistan, the 28-year-old scored 39 off 50 balls but it came in a losing cause. Mendis is the third-leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka, with 268 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 44.66 in six matches. K Mendis is an attacking top-order batsman who can deliver his best performance under pressure. He has done justice to his potential in the tournament so far. Also, he formed the best batting pair with S Samarawickrama for Sri Lanka in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup. K Mendis is expected to pose a tough challenge to India’s bowling line-up.
3. K Yadav (IND): K Yadav is one of the reliable spinners for India in the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against England, the 28-year-old scalped two wickets while conceding just 24 runs at an economy rate of 3.00 in his 8 overs spell. Yadav is the currently second-leading wicket-take for India with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 4.50 in six matches. K Yadav has been a standout performer for India in the ODI cricket this year. His ability to outfox the batsmen by bowling in different variations has made him a reliable spin-bowling option for India in the tournament. K Yadav can turn the game on its head by taking wickets in the middle overs. K Yadav is expected to be a potent threat to Sri Lanka’s batting line-up.
4. D Madushanka (SL): D Madushanka has been Sri Lanka’s strike bowler in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup. The 23-year-old is leading the bowling attack in the absence of senior players in the bowling unit. In the last match against Afghanistan, Madushanka scalped two wickets while conceding 48 runs in his 9 overs spell. However, his effort went in vain as Sri Lanka lost the match. In this tournament, D Madushanka has scalped 13 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, at an economy rate of 6.11 in six matches. He only went wicketless against England. D Madushanka has a good pace and can trouble the batsmen by delivering the ball at a good line and length. D Madushanka will look to come up with an impactful performance in the upcoming match against India.
5. J Bumrah (IND): J Bumrah is the pace spearhead for India in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup. His bowling performances have terrified the batsmen in recent matches. In the last match against England, the 29-year-old scalped three wickets while conceding 32 runs in his 6.5 overs spell. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India with 14 scalps, including a four-wicket haul, at an economy rate of 3.91 in six matches. J Bumrah’s performance in the tournament has been a big positive for India, given his return to international cricket after a long hiatus. Bumrah is dangerous with the new ball as he can provide breakthroughs for the team in powerplay. J Bumrah is expected to lead the bowling attack in the upcoming match against Sri Lanka.
Predicted Playing XI
IND: S Gill, R Sharma (C), V Kohli, S Iyer, SK Yadav, KL Rahul, R Jadeja, K Yadav, M Shami, J Bumrah, M Siraj,
SL: P Nissanka, D Karunaratne, K Mendis (C/WK), S Samarawickrama, C Asalanka, D de Silva, A Mathews, D Wellalage, M Theekshana, K Rajitha, D Madhushanka,
Fantasy Playing XI Picks
Wicketkeepers: K Mendis, KL Rahul
Batters: R Sharma, P Nissanka, V Kohli, S Samarawickrama,
All-rounder: R Jadeja
Bowlers: M Shami, K Yadav, D Madhushanka, J Bumrah
Prediction
India will leave no stone unturned to keep their dominance alive in the tournament and is expected to win this fixture. The Men in Blue have a balanced side compared to The Lions, with quality batsmen and bowlers. India can perform in pressure situations and take home the victory. Also, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is suitable for fast bowlers, which will see Indian pacers come out with all blazing guns against Sri Lanka’s batting line-up. However, Sri Lanka cannot be taken lightly as they can spring a surprise on their day.
