India Opts to Bat First Against Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup Rematch
In a crucial encounter at the T20 World Cup, India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka. This rematch of the Asia Cup final holds significant implications for both teams.
Kaur, who had suffered a neck injury in the previous match against Pakistan, confirmed her recovery and expressed her desire for the batters to “bat freely” and establish a substantial total. India remained unchanged in their lineup, while Sri Lanka replaced batter Hasini Perera with fast bowling allrounder Ama Kanchana.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, emphasized the importance of introspection and smart batting in the challenging conditions. The Dubai International Stadium’s square boundaries are relatively short, but the straight hit remains the longest. Former India head coach WV Raman predicted that the cooler evening temperatures would favor the batters.
India’s victory is crucial for improving their net run rate and maintaining their semi-final hopes. A loss would significantly diminish their chances of advancing.
India’s Playing XI:
1. Shafali Verma
2. Smriti Mandhana
3. Harmanpreet Kaur (capt)
4. Jemimah Rodrigues
5. Richa Ghosh (wk)
6. Deepti Sharma
7. S Sajana
8. Shreyanka Patil
9. Arundhati Reddy
10. Asha Sobhana
11. Renuka Singh
Sri Lanka’s Playing XI:
1. Vishmi Gunaratne
2. Chamari Athapaththu (capt)
3. Harshitha Samarawickrama
4. Kavisha Dilhari
5. Nilakshika Silva
6. Anushka Sanjeewani (wk)
7. Ama Kanchana
8. Sugandika Kumari
9. Inoshi Priyadharshani
10. Udeshika Prabodhani
11. Inoka Ranaweera
