Sri Lanka vs India 1st T20I Predictions, Picks & Odds

• India have been dominant in T20I cricket and have remained unbeaten for eight bilateral T20I series’ in a row. 
• Sri Lanka have been dismal in T20Is. Since the start of 2020, they have recorded just one win. 
• India will be the overwhelming favorite. They have already showcased their great depth and talent despite most of their first-choice players missing. 

Sri Lanka vs India Odds

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Sri Lanka vs India Prediction and Pick

Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga/Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama

India: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Chahar/Chetan Sakariya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal/Rahul Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav

How to Watch Sri Lanka vs India

Can Sri Lanka Pull Off a Surprise Like They Did in the Third Odi?

Sri Lanka surprised quite a few with their performance in the ODI series. They may have lost 1-2 but they didn’t go down without a fight. In fact, if they had won the key moments in that second ODI, the result could have been very different. They lost the plot despite having India 193/7 when the latter were chasing 276. However, the Dasun Shanaka-led side turned it around in the third ODI where they produced a spirited show and overcame a jitter towards the end to finally break the hoodoo at home against India. Their spinners were excellent while the top-order drove the game during the chase.

Sri Lanka will be hoping to take this momentum into the T20I series. Their record in the shortest format is abysmal. Since October 2019, they have lost 12 out of their 14 games (one win and one washout). They really need to turn things around as the T20 World Cup is approaching and Sri Lanka is not even in the Super 12s and needs to qualify past the first round.

Meanwhile, India may not be too fussed about their loss in the third ODI. They fielded five debutants and had made six changes. Moreover, their record in T20Is has been magnificent in the recent past. They have lost just three games since the start of 2020 and have 12 wins, including a couple of Super Over victories over New Zealand. The bowling was inconsistent in the ODI series and they relied heavily on the spinners to get them most of their wickets. The pacers will want to step up. The batsmen couldn’t really convert their starts but there was barely anyone who looked out of sorts or out of form. India seems to have almost all bases covered.

This is India’s final T20I series ahead of the T20 World Cup and they may want to iron out a few things even though they are without most of their first-choice players.

Team News

India made as many as six changes for the third ODI. However, they might revert back to the combination they played in the second ODI. There could be a few changes to that side. Sanju Samson might retain his place from the third ODI and Manish Pandey may face the axe.

Meanwhile, Chetan Sakariya could make his T20I debut while one of Rahul Chahar or Yuzvendra Chahal could play. Sri Lanka may not want to tinker much with the playing XI that won the third ODI. They have picked the same squad for the T20Is as well. However, if Wanindu Hasaranga is fit and available, he is likely to replace Ramesh Mendis.

Key Players

Dushmantha Chameera: Dushmantha Chameera has been one of the most consistent performers for Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket in the recent past. The ace fast bowler bowled well throughout the ODI series but couldn’t pick any wickets in the first two games. He returned with a couple in the third ODI. Chameera has been good in T20Is as well. In 2021, he has picked up 10 wickets from six games and has an economy rate of 6.67. Thus, against a strong Indian batting line-up, it will be key for Sri Lanka to strike early and they will bank on Chameera to do that.

Prithvi Shaw: Prithvi Shaw seems to be striking the ball beautifully. He got a couple of fluent 40s in the ODI series but couldn’t really get those big scores. The Mumbai-born opener got 105 runs in three innings and had a strike rate of 125.00. Shaw was in brilliant form in the IPL as well where he amassed 308 runs at an average of 38.50 and a strike rate of 166.48. He will once again be the key for India at the top of the order.