Asia Cup 2023 final: SL elect to bat against India
India and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in the high-voltage final of the 2023 Asia Cup. The Men in Blue walked away with a 41-run triumph when these two sides recently met in a Super Fours game. However, that loss against India ended SL's unbeaten streak. Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka has won the toss and elected to bat first.
A look at the two Playing XIs
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj. Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(captain), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Pramod Madushan, and Matheesha Pathirana.
Pitch report, timing, and broadcast details
The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host this contest on Sunday (September 17). The track here has been favoring spinners in this competition. Batters showcasing application have been awarded with runs. The match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network and live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app. The contest has a start time of 3:00pm IST.
Here is the head-to-head record
The two sides have met 166 times in ODIs with India comprehensively dominating the head-to-head record 97-57 (NR: 11, Tie: 1). At home, the Lankan team has won 30 of its 65 ODIs against the Indian team, losing 29 (NR: 6). As far as the ODI editions of the Asia Cup are concerned, SL have nine wins and 11 defeats against India.
Here are the key performers
Kohli has clobbered 644 runs across 10 ODI innings in Colombo at 107.33. Kuldeep has taken nine wickets in his last two ODIs at this venue. Gill's tally of 1,025 ODI runs is the most for a batter in 2023. Nissanka has clobbered 817 ODI runs in 2023 at a brilliant average of 48.05.
India own seven Asia Cup titles
The Asia Cup made its debut in 1984 in the ODI format. However, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has switched between the ODI and T20I formats of late. India are the most successful side in the Asia Cup in terms of titles (Seven: 1984, 1988, 1990/91, 1995, 2010, 2016, and 2018). SL have clinched six titles (1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014, and 2022).
