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IND vs SL Match Preview Asia Cup 2023 Final
India will take on Sri Lanka in the finals of the Asia Cup 2023 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It will be after 13 years that the two sides will meet each other in the finals. India got the better of Sri Lanka in that edition in 2010. They went on to win the ODI World Cup next year. India will be eyeing a similar luck when they come up against formidable Asia Cup opponents in the finals. Let us look at details on IND vs SL Match Preview Asia Cup 2023 Final.
Sri Lanka won a thrilling game against Pakistan to book an entry into the finals. Both Lanka and Pakistan had lost to India making their league game a virtual semifinal. The home team held their nerves in the final moments of the game to take their side through. Sri Lanka has a chance to make it two Asia Cup wins in two years. They are the winners of the 2022 Asia Cup (T20 edition) as well. Only India has held that double so far winning the T20 edition in 2016 and ODI edition in 2018.
IND vs SL – Proven performers
#1 Rohit Sharma
The Indian captain has looked in fine fettle right throughout the tournament. Rohit Sharma’s only glaring failure came up in the game against Bangladesh. He will once again look to get his eye in this crucial match. Sharma has a proven track record against Sri Lanka. He was the only Indian batter to get past 50 in the previous meeting between the two teams. Sharma’s early blitz helped India cross the 200-run mark, a total that eventually proved to be enough. The finals will also test Sharma’s temperament as both batter and as captain. It will be interesting to see how he goes about his business in the finals.
#2 Dunith Wellalage
The Sri Lankan spinner spun a web of magic around the Indian batters. His introduction into the attack immediately reaped rich dividends. He dismissed Shubman Gill with a ball that dipped, gripped, and turned to dislodge his off pole. Wellalage got the better of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul too with deliveries that stopped on the batsmen. He already seems to have the Ajantha Mendis effect, a player who had a similar impact in the 2008 edition. Indians will be wary of the threat that Wellalage might possess.
IND vs SL – Players to watch out for
#1 Virat Kohli
His numbers in knockout games in ODI multination tournaments hasn’t been great. Virat Kohli made a telling contribution in India’s CT 2013 finals helping India win the game. But he has failed in ODI knockout games since then. Kohli hasn’t had a lot of game time under his belt barring the Pakistan match. Teams seem to have identified his weakness against left-arm spin. Lanka will target him with their battery of spinners in the finals. How Kohli shapes up to this battle will dictate the outcome of the match.
#2 Kusal Mendis
He set the ball rolling for Sri Lanka in the run-chase against Pakistan. Kusal Mendis scored a pivotal 91 to ensure Lanka stay ahead in the game on most occasions. He is one of those players who can get going almost immediately. Mendis is an effortless timer of the ball who scores at a solid rate. He will look to put the Indian bowlers under the pump. Batting at number 3, he is the vital cog in Lanka’s plans.
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IND vs SL – Match prediction
It was India who managed to scrape through a win in the Super Four stage against Sri Lanka. The home team though will look to reverse its fortunes in the finals. Lanka will know that the pressure will be on India as the side is yet to win a major tournament in a long time. The home crowd will back their team to the hilt putting Indians under the pump. Sri Lanka start favourites in this Asian battle for dominance.
