After thrashing Sri Lanka quite comfortably in the longer version of the game now it’s time for some twenty20. India the 2007 World Champion will take on 2009 runners-up Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will look to put their test thrashing behind them and get their act together in the shortest format of the game. It is not easy to pick the winner from these two teams, since both teams struggled to get going in their last few twenty20 games. However the changes in personality in both the teams could make lots of different in their approach as well as their attitude. Indian team performance in twenty 20 in really ordinary in nine Twenty20 internationals since 2008, they have lost six and won three. Out of those three wins two have came against the minnows Bangladesh and Ireland and other won against second string Sri Lankan team at their home last year when two Pathan brothers took them home with some most amazing display of stroke play. Sri Lanka on the other hand had a terrific World Twenty20 and was unbeaten till twenty20 world cup final against Pakistan. After the loss in final Sri Lanka has lost their charm in twenty20 loosing their last three games (two against New Zealand and one against Pakistan). Return of Lasith Malinga will make Sri Lankans bowling attack to look more formidable than the one which played in the test series. M.Muralitharan already injured that means spin department will be tackled by Ajantha Mendis. Watch out for Sehwag and Gambhir: Both players are in dangerous form and if they get going then it will be nightmare for the Sri Lankan bowlers. Jayasuirya and Dilshan: If India has Sehwag and Gambhir then Sri Lanka also have fire power at top. It will be interesting to watch how Indian bowler will handle these two. Pitch & Condition The pitch is expected to be run feast for the batsman. So score between 180-200 is expected to be made by team batting first. The pitch to be used will be same on which Indian batsman able to compile 354 runs against Australia few months back. Teams S.Sreesanth is likely to miss the first twenty20 due to stomach infection that means Ashok Dinda or Sudeep Tyagi is likely to get a game in Sreesanth absence. On the other hand M.Muralitharan will miss the twenty20 because of injury to his fingure allowing A.Mendis to get a game. Likely Playing XI for both Teams (Match is Schedule to begin at 17:30 PM India Time) India Squad: V.Sehwag, G.Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, M.S.Dhoni (Captain & WK), Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, P.Ojha, S.Tyagi, A.Nehra, I.Sharma. Sri Lanka Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara (Captain & WK), Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welegedara. |
