Lanka have emerged as one of the most formidable teams in the tournament over the course of this Asia Cup. Despite missing practically their entire frontline bowling attack, a mix of young bowlers and experienced part-timers has made scoring against them a difficult task while the likes of Kusal Mendis have provided the goods with the bat. However, their only defeat in their last 15 ODIs has come against India, who have looked as strong as ever. Their last game ended in a defeat to Bangladesh but it was one in which most of their key players sat out. Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul have made strong returns while Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have all been purring.
Both teams were dealt with injury blows in the run up to the final, with Sri Lanka arguably being the ones to be affected more by it. While India have lost Axar Patel for this match and possibly for the upcoming series against Australia, Washington Sundar has been flown in as cover. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have lost their frontline spinner Mahesh Theekshana for the rest of this tournament. Sri Lanka have, however, said that they expect Theekshana to be ready for the World Cup next month. Sundar, meanwhile, has been named in the Indian second string squad for the Asian Games next month, which makes it unlikely that he would be included in the World Cup squad.
The final, and indeed this whole tournament and any other international ODI match at the moment, is being played in the shadow of the bigger picture of the World Cup next month. While both sides want to ensure that their players get as much time in the middle in intense match situations, they are also weary of potential injuries, as is the case with Theekshana for Sri Lanka, or more sadly for Naseem Shah for Pakistan, who could now miss the World Cup. India haven’t really had to deal with an injury yet of the kind that could give them a headache in the big tournament. On the contrary, they have some of their key players out due to injury come back in this tournament, and in the case of Bumrah and Rahul, return with a bang. It has to be stated, though, that there could be nerves today – India’s only multi-team tournament wins in the decade since their Champions Trophy victory in 2013 has been the Asia Cup. The last time they lifted this trophy was back in 2018. With Rohit Sharma’s side looking to reclaim the World Cup at home next month, this match provides almost a simulation of the kind of pressure they could face in the big knockout matches in the
A few key pointers about the 2023 Asia Cup final between India and Sri Lanka:
1. India have faced Sri Lanka 166 times in ODIs
2. India have won 97 of those matches while Sri Lanka have won 57. 11 matches ended with no result and one was a tie.
3. The two sides have faced each other in 20 ODI matches in the Asia Cup and have won an equal number of matches
4. India beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs the last time the two sides met in the Super 4 stage of this tournament
5. There are rains and thunderstorms expected towards the evening today in Colombo and so the final could see some delays
6. A reserve day is available in case of a washout on the day of the final
Asia Cup 2023 Final Updates: India will take on Sri Lanka in the final showdown of the Asia Cup 2023 today in Colombo. The epic final clash is scheduled to kick off at 3 pm Indian time at the PR Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Their rivalry in the Asia Cup stands at an even keel, with both teams boasting 11 victories each.
The Indian team is set to welcome back key players such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav, who were rested for the match against Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka earned their spot in the final by defeating Pakistan by a narrow margin of two wickets during the Super Four stage, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown against India. In Sunday’s final, Sri Lanka will be aiming to match India’s remarkable record of seven Asia Cup final, marking their second consecutive final appearance and their 11th overall.
Maheesh Theekshana will miss the match due to a hamstring injury, potentially paving the way for leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha to step in.
India and Sri Lanka hold the record for the most One Day International (ODI) encounters between any two teams, having clashed in 166 matches. Out of these, India have emerged victorious in 97 while Sri Lanka have secured 57 wins. Also, 11 matches concluded with “no result”, and one ended in a tie.
The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is renowned for its batting-friendly pitches. Teams setting the target have enjoyed more favourable results than those who chase. As the game unfolds, it tends to provide assistance to spinners. However, the main concern is rain, which has disrupted multiple matches in the tournament this year.
India’s predicted XI vs Sri Lanka for Asia Cup final includes Rohit Sharma Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.
Check the Live Score here.
The Rohit Sharma and team had a nightmare while facing young spinner Dunith Wellalage during the Super 4 match against Sri Lanka. The 20-year-old spinner will now aim to deliver a similar performance in the final as Team India will look redemption. A reserve day has been kept in store and the will be continued on Monday if rain plays a spoilsport on Sunday. Both have 13 Asian titles between them and Sri Lanka have a history of sneaking into the tournament’s final — to the consternation of fans keen for any showdown between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
