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Sri Lanka take on India in the third and final ODI of the Unacademy ODI series on Friday, 23rd July, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India sealed the series 2-0 with a 3-wicket win in the 2nd ODI on Tuesday, July 20. Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar added 84 runs for the eighth wicket as India scripted a remarkable chase to record a memorable win.
It was heartbreak for the Sri Lankan side, who did admirably well to gain control of the match in the second innings, only to be blindsided by a spirited effort from Deepak Chahar. Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka started strongly and were 70/0 after 12 overs.
However, Minod Bhanuka's attempt to take on Yuzvendra Chahal triggered a fall of wickets that dented the acceleration of Sri Lanka's innings. While the Sri Lankan batters handled India's spinners much better than what they did in the 1st ODI, they still couldn't keep the runs flowing in the middle period.
However, young Charith Asalanka stepped up and made a 68-ball 65 to boost Sri Lanka's total. He combined well with Chamika Karunaratne, who played another vital knock at No.8, scoring a quickfire 33-ball 44. Sri Lanka piled on the runs in the death overs to get to a respectable total of 275/9, although India's predictable death bowling also played a part.
In response, the Indian openers started as they did in the 1st ODI, only this time, Sri Lanka had a plan to deal with their aggressive approach. Their spinners stepped up and delivered in this match, with Wanindu Hasaranga the pick of the bowlers.
He picked up the key wicket of Prithvi Shaw early on and followed it up by trapping Dhawan LBW after the powerplay. Manish Pandey was, unfortunately, run-out after a promising 31-ball 37, while Suryakumar Yadav scored his maiden half-century. However, the wickets kept tumbling for India despite runs coming at a brisk rate, and when Krunal Pandya fell, India were 193/7 in 35.1 overs.
While almost everyone expected Sri Lanka to round out the Indian tail to register a much-awaited victory, Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar built a calculated and solid partnership to steer India home.
With the series sealed, we could see some debutants from both teams ahead of the 3rd ODI. While the result didn't go their way, Sri Lanka's assured display with the ball, for the most part, should come as a relief to cricketing fans, who're now likely to be treated to some exciting, competitive cricket for the remainder of the series.
The 3rd ODI is by no means a dead rubber, and with 10 points in the Super League at stake, expect an enticing cricketing encounter.
Match Details
Date: July 23, 2021 (Friday).
Time: 03:00 PM (Local), 3:00 PM (IST) and 09:30 AM (GMT).
Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Weather Report
There is a good chance that the 3rd ODI could get washed out by rain, with a thunderstorm forecast on Friday. It should remain a warm and humid day, though, with an average temperature of around 28 degrees celsius.
Pitch Report
The wicket at the R Premadasa Stadium was already slower than what it was in the 2nd ODI, and that trend should continue on Friday. The spinners should fare better than the pacers, although there could still be some zip off the wicket that the latter can extract.
Predicted XIs
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka should bring in a spinner, considering the impact that they had in the 2nd ODI. Akila Dananjaya and Praveen Jayawickrama are two options they could consider. With the rest of the team showing good promise over the first two ODIs, they're all likely to retain their places in the side.
Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (WK), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama/Akila Dananjaya, and Lakshan Sandakan.
India
While India could ring in the changes after sealing the series, they're unlikely to do so after their somewhat shoddy outing in the 2nd ODI. Sanju Samson could replace Ishan Kishan as the team's wicket-keeper. Varun Chakravarthy could potentially make his debut if Chahal gets a rest.
India: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan/ Sanju Samson (WK), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal/ Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Match Prediction
Sri Lanka will want to close out the series on a winning note and carry the momentum into the T20Is. However, a shaky batting effort in their second ODI should elicit a response from the Indian batters, whose intent and aggression could overpower the Sri Lankan bowlers. Expect another Indian win in a close contest.
Prediction: India to win.
TV and live streaming details
TV: Sony Six
Live Streaming: SonyLiv.
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