On September 17, at Colombo’s R Premdasa Stadium, India is set to face Sri Lanka in the fifth match of the Super Four round of the 2023 Asia Cup. During the Super Four stage, India participated in three games, securing victory in two and clinching the top spot in the standings. Conversely, Sri Lanka achieved a similar record but settled for the second position due to a lower net run rate.

In their recent match against Bangladesh, India chose to bowl after winning the toss. Given the inconsequential nature of the game, both teams used the opportunity to experiment and assess their squad’s depth. Bangladesh posted a formidable total of 265 runs, thanks to strong performances from Shakib, Hridoy, and Nasum. India’s shaky start, with the loss of their opening batsman and captain in the very first over, along with the dismissals of Shubhman and Axar, proved to be the decisive factors as Bangladesh narrowly won by six runs.

Sri Lanka, in their previous match against Pakistan, faced a situation where Pakistan opted to bat after winning the toss. Despite an early wicket, Pakistan managed to build an impressive second-wicket partnership. Half-centuries from Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan propelled Pakistan to a competitive total of 252 runs. Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising to victory right from the start, but the match took a dramatic turn towards the end. They lost wickets in quick succession, but managed to maintain their composure, ultimately securing a thrilling victory by just two wickets.

India: Rohit Sharma (C), H Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), RA Jadeja, Ishan Kishan, JJ Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, KL Yadav

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (C), D Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, C Asalanka, D de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Kusal Mendis (WK), S Samarawickrama, Matheesha Pathirana, M Theekshana, PM Liyanagamage