IND vs SL, Asia Cup Final, R Premadasa Stadium Pitch Report: It's time for the ultimate showdown as the battle to claim Asia's most prestigious cricketing crown is about to hit its crescendo. Seven-time champions India look geared upto take on the six-time winners and the defending champions Sri Lanka in the final of the ongoing Asia Cup at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 17.
Barring the defeat that came against Bangladesh in their last Super Four match, the Rohit Sharma-led India has looked like the favourites to claim the title. Let it be batting or bowling, the Men in Blue have shown discipline and delivered output in both departments based on the demands of the situation. They have some star players who are enjoying a rich-vein of form at the moment and it is what makes their side lethal ahead of the summit clash.
Meanwhile, the Dasun Shanaka-led side has also put in some top-drawer performances in the tournament despite being an injury-ravaged unit. A lot will depend on how the top order responds in such a high-pressure game. Batters like Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama have done fairly well in the ongoing event thus far and the Sri Lankan fans will hope they produce another scintillating performance in the finale. Maheesh Theekshana's untimely injury is a major setback for the Lankan Lions but they have Dunith Wellalage who has impressed with his all-round prowess thus far.
R Premadasa Pitch Report
Since the ongoing edition has already witnessed five clashes at the R Premadasa Stadium, the wicket for the final might turn out to be a turner because of the wear and tear on the square. However, if the final gets affected by rain then it might reduce the amount of turn available for the spinners.
R Premadasa Stadium ODI Records and Stats
Total ODI Matches: 160
Matches won batting first: 88
Matches won bowling first: 62
Average first innings score: 233
Average second innings score: 191
Highest total scored: 375/5 by India vs Sri Lanka
Highest score chased: 292/4 by Sri Lanka vs Australia
Lowest total recorded: 78 all out by Sri Lanka women vs England women
Lowest total defended: 170 all out West Indies women vs Sri Lanka women
India's Likely XI:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan/Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
Sri Lanka's Likely XI:
Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha
