India are just a win away from the semi-finals of Champions Trophy 2017 and they would hope to make it through by winning their second group game against Sri Lanka at The Oval. The last game at the venue between Australia and Bangladesh was washed out by rain and India would hope that doesn't happen this time.
Sri Lanka are coming off the back of an embarrassing loss to South Africa and have succumbed to a lowly seven in ICC's ODI rankings. The return of captain, Angelo Matthews, albeit as a pure batsman, should boost Sri Lanka but their recent struggles are something which give little confidence.
India beat Pakistan well and truly and their two big stage performers, Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh, found some much-needed form while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continued to thrive. They should see through Lanka unless something untoward happens.
Cricket is a funny game though and one performance could change the game. Here we take a glance at five players to watch out for in the clash at The Oval.
#5 Umesh Yadav
The skiddy Indian pacer was at his best against Pakistan at Edgbaston in the first game. He grabbed the crucial wicket of Babar Azam aside from two tail-ender wickets to finish with three in the game. However, his opening spell that tied down the Pakistani batsmen, was the highlight of his performance.
Yadav will once again be a critical bowler for India. This time he will be up against two attacking batsmen in Upul Tharanga and Nirosha Dickwella who had no trouble in taking on the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel. Unlike the Pakistani openers, Dickwella and Tharanga will look to attack Yadav which will make for an interesting battle.
Record against Sri Lanka
Matches - 13, Wickets -15, BBI - 4/53, Avg - 42.06
#4 Lasith Malinga
The Sri Lankan warhorse might be a tad old with a few injury concerns, but Malinga still possesses a terrific yorker and some unreadable slower balls. His death over exploits are no longer as consistent as they once were, but there is no denying the fact that he is Sri Lanka's biggest weapon.
When these two teams met in the 2011 World Cup final, Malinga silenced the Wankhede crowd with the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. But Dhoni and Gambhir took India home, a defeat from which Sri Lanka are yet to fully recover. If anything, this contest should prompt Malinga to return to his very best.
Record against India
Matches - 33, Wickets - 38, BBI - 3/64, Avg - 42.28
#3 Hardik Pandya
It isn't often that an Indian line-up boasts of a seam bowling all-rounder. Hardik Pandya put that to rest by winning a place in the starting XI against Pakistan ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin. He walked in and smacked three consecutive sixes off Imad Wasim to reveal his talents on the biggest stage.
Pandya's strength is his USP. The Baroda all-rounder can fill in as a quality seam bowling option while adding value as a finisher. He was sent in ahead of MS Dhoni against Pakistan and justified that call. His phenomenal growth in the past few months is keenly watched by cricket fans around the globe.
Record against Sri Lanka
Pandya is yet to play a match against Sri Lanka.
Also Read: India vs Pakistan: The death of a rivalry
#2 Kusal Mendis
Touted as the most talented of Sri Lanka's young batsmen, Kusal Mendis has failed to live upto that reputation in the past few months. He was worked over by the South Africans in the ODI series in January and has since looked restless and unstable at the crease.
However, there is no questioning his talent which he revealed to one and all with brilliant knocks against the Aussies at home. If Mendis needs to show that he belongs in the team, there is no better way than doing it against India. He loves the ball coming onto the bat and the true bounce at Oval should aid his style of batting.
Record against India
Mendis is yet to play against India.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
The attacking Indian opener loves big tournaments. He played a huge role in India's 2013 Champions Trophy victory and also fashioned out some stunning knocks in the 2015 World Cup. With Rohit Sharma taking his time to settle down, Dhawan will be tasked with playing the aggressive role in the powerplay overs.
He looked in good touch against Pakistan but gave it away with a loose shot off the leg-spinner, Shadab Khan. With the none of the Sri Lankan pace bowlers possessing threatening pace and bounce, Dhawan will be a huge threat for them. His recent form is also a huge plus for India, who will be expecting to put up a big score if they bat first.
Record against Sri Lanka
Matches - 8, Runs - 500, HS - 113, Avg - 62.50
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