Sri Lanka vs India: First ODI Match in Colombo
On August 2, Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat against Rohit Sharma’s India in the first ODI match of the series at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
India’s Tour of Sri Lanka
India’s tour of Sri Lanka began on July 27 with the T20I series, where India secured a 43-run win in the first match. In the second T20I, India won by seven wickets in a rain-affected game. The Men in Blue clinched a victory in the super-over in the third match.
Key Players and Injuries
Rohit Sharma is back in Indian colors after leading the team to a memorable seven-run win against South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup final on June 29. However, Sri Lanka is facing challenges as their star pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka are set to miss the ODI series due to injuries. Pathirana sustained a shoulder injury, and Madushanka suffered a hamstring injury.
Team Line-ups
India’s skipper Rohit Sharma confirmed the return of key players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Kuldeep Yadav. Rohit Sharma said, “Good pitch. We have played a lot of cricket here and know the conditions. There has been a lot of changes; I am back, so is Virat, KL, and Shreyas Iyer. Kuldeep also comes back in. Dube is also playing. We have a pretty decent balance. We had a great World Cup, we didn’t cross the finishing line but there were a lot of positives. We have created an atmosphere where guys can come in and play with freedom. Not really (on whether he will bowl), I will focus on my batting. We have enough bowlers in the squad that can roll their arm over.”
Sri Lanka’s skipper Charith Asalanka acknowledged the injury concerns but expressed optimism. He said, “We are going to bat first. It looks like a dry pitch and that’s the reason. We are going with a 6-5 combination. Shiraz is making his debut today. We have to improve our mental skills, we did some bad things in the last game but that is the past and we are looking forward to this game. It (injuries) is a concern as a captain but I am looking forward to going with my second line of bowling.”
Sri Lanka Playing XI
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (WK), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (C), Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz.
India Playing XI
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
Doubts Revealed
ODI -: ODI stands for One Day International. It’s a type of cricket match where each team gets to bat for a maximum of 50 overs.
Colombo -: Colombo is the capital city of Sri Lanka, an island country near India.
Charith Asalanka -: Charith Asalanka is a cricketer from Sri Lanka. He is the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team for this match.
Rohit Sharma -: Rohit Sharma is a famous Indian cricketer and the captain of the Indian cricket team for this match.
R.Premadasa Stadium -: R.Premadasa Stadium is a big cricket stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where the match is being played.
Virat Kohli -: Virat Kohli is one of India’s best cricketers and is known for his excellent batting skills.
KL Rahul -: KL Rahul is another top Indian cricketer who plays as a batsman and sometimes as a wicketkeeper.
T20I series -: T20I stands for Twenty20 International, a shorter format of cricket where each team plays 20 overs. India recently won a series of these matches against Sri Lanka.
Winning streak -: A winning streak means winning several matches in a row without losing any.
Injury setbacks -: Injury setbacks mean that some players are hurt and cannot play, which makes it harder for the team to win.