Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian cricket team is all set to face Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lanka for the first T20I match at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Saturday.
This is for the for the first time that senior Indian cricket team will play a T20I match, weeks after lifting the T20 World Cup at Barbados. Also, Gautam Gambhir will begin his innings as Indian head coach with the series.
Though it was expected that Hardik Pandya would take over as T20 skipper from Rohit Sharma, chief selector Ajit Agargar and head coach Gambhir has other plans prepared.
As per stats, India and Sri Lanka have played 29 T20I matches, out of which India won 19 matches, Sri Lanka won 9 and one ended with no result.
According to Accuweather, there is a 88 percent chance of precipitation at Dambulla and there would a cloud cover of 99 percent. Apart from this, there is a 53 percent probability of thunderstorms too. The temperature is expected to be between 29 C and 32 C.
Looking at previous matches, the Pallekele stadium pitch tends to favour batters, especially when when the floodlights are on. Teams bowling first may have a preference as dew in the evening often leads teams to prefer chasing with bowling becomes more challenging.
The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Saturday from 7 pm (IST) onwards.
The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will be telecast on Sony Sports Network. It wil also be telecast on Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi) SD and HD, Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil or Telugu), and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD and HD. The match will be live streamed on the Sony Liv app and website.
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohd. Siraj.
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Binura Fernando.
