Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd ODI: Dhawan elects to bat
Sri Lanka and India are squaring off in the third ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The second-string Team India leads the three-match series 2-0 after a brilliant effort by Deepak Chahar helped India win the second ODI. Meanwhile, Shikhar Dhawan has won the toss and elected to bat in the third and final ODI. Here are further details.
Indian debutants: Samson, Rana, Sakariya, K Gowtham, and Rahul Chahar
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wicket-keeper), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama India (Playing XI): Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Nitish Rana, Hardik Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Rahul Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya
Pitch report, conditions, and TV listing
Yet again, the sluggish surface at this venue will likely assist the batsmen. The spinners will also garner enough turn throughout the match. As per weather forecasts of Colombo, sporadic thunderstorms are expected on Friday, with rain playing spoilsport. The match is being telecast live on the Sony Network. It can also be streamed on the SonyLIV app (paid subscription).
Team India set to script history
India have an opportunity to register their 11th successive win against Sri Lanka. Only Pakistan (in Bangladesh - 14 wins), South Africa (in Zimbabwe - 13 wins) and England (in Zimbabwe - 12 wins) have a better run at an opposition's home. India last lost an ODI in Sri Lanka (against Sri Lanka) in July 2012.