India Vs Sri Lanka- India face Sri Lanka in what has turned out to be a must-win fixture for the men in blue. In order to stand a chance to make the finals of the Asia Cup, India will have to win both their remaining games, and that means that there is no margin for error from now on. They face a Lanka side who have suddenly grown in stature and confidence, having won 2 straight games and played some really good cricket under pressure.
They have a good mix of players who can hurt the Indians at any opportunity and will be fancying their chances against the Indians.
Here are the 5 players to keep an eye on as India vs Sri Lanka is expected to be a cracker-
1. Dasun Shanaka
The Sri Lanka skipper is a man of few words, but what he lacks with words, he more than makes up for it with his prowess with the bat. The captain is one of Sri Lanka’s most dangerous power-hitters lower down the order, and India will be more than aware of the destructive ability he possesses, as Shanaka gave the Indians firsthand experience of his quality in the series against India earlier in the year. Shanaka has scripted a couple of unbelievable knocks and will be raring to lead by example this time around as well.
2. Wanindu Hasaranga
The all-rounder is Sri Lanka’s trump card and their best bowler in the side. He has the ability to turn any game on its head with his crafty blend of pace and variations. More times than not, Sri Lanka entrusts the ball in his hands whenever they need a wicket, and Hasaranga has delivered for them most of the time. He will be fancying his chances against Virat Kohli, who over the years has shown to be susceptible to leggies early on in his innings, and given that both have played together in the IPL, Hasaranga will be itching to have a go at Kohli early on.
3. Kusal Mendis
Kusal Mendis currently is the best Sri Lanka batsman on the basis of recent form, and his performances in this Asia Cup will definitely send down a few jitters down the spines of the Indian bowlers. Mendes approaches the powerplay in a manner not similar to the approach of the Indian batsmen and has reaped the rewards of those aggressive starts. In the last 2 games, Mendis has scored 96 runs at a strike rate of 181, giving Sri Lanka a brilliant platform to build upon in both games. India will have to find a way to get Mendis out early or else they might find the game slipping away from them rather quickly.
4. Bhanuka Rajapaksa
The left-handed batsman has found a second wind in his career and has been making up for lost time with his tremendous power-hitting. Rajapaksa has the range, and the shots in the book to put pressure on any attack at an instant. He has the ability to start hitting big right from the word go, as was the case in their last game against Afghanistan. Playing in the IPL has also given him a renewed sense of confidence and he is more than willing to translate that confidence into winning performances for his country.
5. Maheesh Theekshana
Ably supporting Hasaranga with the ball is Theekshana. Another spinner who has plied his trade in the IPL, Theekshana is a wily customer, and his ability to choke the flow of runs in the middle overs can be a handy asset for a Lanka side having a dearth of quality fast- bowling options. Theekshana bowls a tidy line, does not give batsmen enough attacking options, and always bowls to his field. With his knowledge of Indian players in the IPL, he could be a big problem for the Indians.
