A semifinal berth awaits Team India when they face Sri Lanka at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. This encounter harks back to the 2011 World Cup final, where India triumphed against the Lankans at the very same venue.
Rohit Sharma’s men have been simply unstoppable so far, winning 6 out of 6 games. A victory against the Islanders will see them become the first team this World Cup to qualify for the last four.
While smog and humidity have dominated headlines in Mumbai recently, the cricketing spotlight will once again shine on the dynamic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. These two Indian stalwarts have been in sensational form, and the fervent Wankhede crowd is eager for another display of their batting prowess.
The pitch in Mumbai has been a goldmine for runs. South Africa showed that in two games they played here and India will also be looking to make the most of it to boost their net run rate even further. However, it’s the humidity and the smog that might prove to be the bigger test for the players.
The Mumbai wicket will also provide another opportunity for Kohli to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI tons. Achieving this milestone right after the unveiling of a life-size statue of the Master Blaster at the Wankhede would be a memorable moment.
On the other side of the coin, Sri Lanka, with only two victories from six games, faces an arduous path to qualification. Their primary objective will be to win against India and disrupt their flawless run in the tournament.
TEAM NEWS
Hardik Pandya is still not available so India are likely to play the same XI as the last game but there could be considerations to rest either Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj.
HEAD-TO-HEAD IN WORLD CUP
India and Sri Lanka share a nearly equal record in ODI World Cups, having played each other nine times, with four victories apiece and one match ending in a draw in 1992.
When will the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2023 begin?
IND vs SL match will start at 2 pm IST on Sunday
Where to watch IND vs SL World Cup match?
Viewers in India can watch the India vs Sri Lanka ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 live telecast on the Star Sports Network channels
Where to watch the live streaming of the India vs Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup 2023 game?
Fans can watch the live streaming of the India vs Sri Lanka ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.
India vs Sri Lanka probable playing XIs
India’s likely playing XI:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
Sri Lanka’s likely playing XI:
Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka
Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan
Sri Lanka squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha