The stage is set for the final game of the India Tour of Sri Lanka here at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on August 7th.
Hosts Sri Lanka who lost the T20I series 3-0 is now leading the ODI series 1-0 after completing the 2nd ODI. Knowing the conditions better than anyone else, they brought in an extra spinner and it worked wonders as they beat India by 32 runs. Earlier in the series, they made a stunning comeback to pull off a nerve-wracking tie. Batting, low order in particular did something extraordinary in both matches and to back it up, spinners nailed the show to pile more pressure on Indian batters.
The pressure is on newly appointed coach Gautam Gambhir as India has yet to win an ODI under him. One of the best players of spin was exposed to the turning tracks, and as a result, they failed to chase 230 and 240. Needing one to win in the 1st ODI, they were the firm favourites to take a 1-0 lead with 2 wickets in hand, but the game swung away from them which resulted in a tie. When the rest of his fellow teammates are struggling to tackle spin, it’s skipper Rohit Sharma who stood strong in both matches and scored cracking half-centuries. They haven’t lost an ODI series in Sri Lanka in 27 years and are looking forward to maintaining the streak.
SL vs IND 3rd ODI Predicted XI and Form Guide
Sri Lanka Predicted XI:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Kamindu Mendis, Akila Dananajaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
Recent Form: Won, Tied, Lost, Won, Lost
Sri Lanka is on top of the moon at the moment having secured a 32-run win in the 2nd ODI to go 1-0 up in the series. The victory purely belongs to their low-order batters and spinners. From 136 for 6 they showcased determination and a high level of skill set to reach 240 for 9 at the end of 50 overs. Dunith Wellalage (39) and Kamindu Mendis (40) made the bulk of the scoring.
They opted to go with a sole seamer and guess what it worked well as their spinners wreaked havoc to dismantle Men in Blue for 208. Jeffrey Vandersay, who replaced Mohamed Shiraz, recorded his career-best figures of 6 for 33 and was named the Player of the Match. The conditions forced them to field as many as five spinners and just to feel the variety, they included Asitha Fernando as a specialist fast bowler.
They have dealt a huge blow as their premier all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury. When it comes to their batting, Dunith Wellalage powered them to excess scores of 200 in the 1st and 2nd ODIs and has collected 106 runs with the best score of 67*. Pathum Nissanka, the leading run-getter in ODIs this year scored a well-composed 56 runs in the 1st ODI and bagged a golden duck in the 2nd ODI. The rest including Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, and skipper Charith Asalanka haven’t converted their starts into big ones.
India Predicted XI:
India
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
Recent Form: Lost, Tie, Won, Lost, Won
India’s middle-order batting was exposed against spin in the first two ODIs as they settled for a Tie and a loss. Now they can’t win the series and all they have is to avoid the series loss by leveling it 1-1. To seek balance they went with front-line all-rounders Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar but they lacked the firepower in the middle as the management decided to stick with KL Rahul to keep wickets instead of Rishabh Pant.
The openers in particular Rohit Sharma have shown his supremacy, smashing back-to-back half-centuries and the only Indian to score 50 plus score in the series. Shubman Gill showed his intent but became the victim of a one-handed stunner from Kamindu Mendis for 35 in the 2nd ODI. Virat Kohli hasn’t arrived yet, only managing 38 runs but he is due for a big knock in the country he loves batting.
India’s middle-order batting mainstays Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul need to find their mojo back. The biggest positive factor is the performance of Axar Patel who scored 77 runs and picked up 3 wickets in the series. Fellow all-rounder Washington Sundar is their best bowler with 4 scalps but needs to prove his worth with the bat.
With the series at stake, they might bring in additional batter in the middle order, with Rishabh Pant waiting in the wings, he could be the perfect pick but whom he replaces is a question.
In the India vs Sri Lanka ODI bilateral series, India hasn’t lost since 1997 and it’s a perfect opportunity for Sri Lanka to regain the glory.
Venue and Weather Report for SL vs IND, 3rd ODI
The batters must master the art of playing spin on the surface which offers plenty of turn. It’s a cakewalk for the spinners who are in bright form and delivered well in the last 2 matches here at R Premadasa Stadium. The final game of India vs Sri Lanka ODI 2024 promises to be an exciting contest where scores in the range of 240-250 look competitive.
India Tour of Sri Lanka 2024 3rd ODI Betting Tips
Dunith Wellalage:
Dunith Wellalage is a legend in the making for Sri Lanka, he is one of the main reasons behind Sri Lanka’s fightback in the ODI series. The 21-year-old southpaw scored pivotal runs coming down the order, collecting 106 runs from 2 matches with the best score of 67* while claiming 2 wickets with the ball at an economy of 5.33.
He is going to be the key player to watch out for Ind vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI.
Rohit Sharma:
Rohit Sharma’s elegance is at his best in the ongoing India vs Sri Lanka ODI 2024 series, smashing 122 runs in 2 innings at an impressive strike rate of 134.06 with the best score of 64. When other Indian batters struggled to tackle spin, Rohit remained unaffected which shows the calibre of highest order. The Indian skipper is aiming for 3rd half-century in a row.
Which is the best ODI match India vs Sri Lanka?
The best ODI game to date between India vs Sri Lanka is the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Final at Wankhede where India secured a famous win in front of the packed stadium, ending their 28-year title drought. Mahela Jayawardene’s century was later overshadowed by epic innings from Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS Dhoni (91*).
