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Match Details
Date: 26 February 2022
Time: 7:00 PM IST
Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharmashala
Ball-by-ball Commentary: SportsTiger App
Preview: The Indian team had a clinical victory in the first T20I played in Lucknow. The Men in Blue had a near-perfect game as every player looked in top form as they posted a mammoth 199 in 20 overs. Similarly, in the second innings, the Indian bowling was efficient and effective as six out of the seven bowlers had an economy under eight runs. But in Sri Lanka’s case, they failed to make an impact on both ends. The Lankan Lions would be hungry to prove a point.
Pitch Report: The HPCA ground has been a batting paradise in the recent few games as India had put up 199, which was chased down by the South Africans. In the last nine T20Is, three games have been washed out due to rain. Whereas in the remaining six games, the defending team has won four times, while the chasing team has won two times. The pitch has always provided a true bounce which is enjoyed by the batters. Similarly, the wind gush also tends to favour the batting side, which could lead to another high-scoring game.
Team Analysis:
India - The Indian team have been on a roll, especially under their new captain Rohit Sharma. After whitewashing the Windies, the Men in Blue would look to seal the series in this game. A majority of the batters tend to enjoy the pace and hence could put up another huge score if given a chance to bat first. Likewise, the bowling unit has looked sharp; Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked like his former self and could continue that form in Dharmshala. The Spinners could face a challenge if the dew comes into play.
Sri Lanka - For Sri Lanka, none of their plans worked in the first T20I as they started the game on the back foot without their top spinners, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga. Then their top order also didn’t fire, leading to collapse and a hopeless chase. But if the Lankan Lions could hold their own and focus on their strengths, they could make some mends in the well-oiled Indian Machine. The key to their success will be the performance of their captain Dasun Shanaka who could emerge as an X-Factor.
Probable Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Kumara.
Match Prediction:
Conclusion: India looks like clear favourites against Sri Lanka and will look to repeat their performance from the last game. With a batting-friendly pitch, the Indians would bank themselves to score big runs and seal the series.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s personal point of view. They neither reflect the opinion of SportsTiger nor advise anyone to make any prediction based on this. SportsTiger does not assume any responsibility and liability for the same.