IN BRIEF
Date: India vs. Sri Lanka will take place on Sunday, 17th September, 2023, at 15:00. (IST) at 15:00 (Local Time) and 10:30 (UK)
Venue: India vs. Sri Lanka will take place at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Bangladesh.
Weather: Conditions are expected to be extremely hot throughout, with spells of sunshine in the first few hours of play, but also a chance of thundery showers throughout the match, with a gentle breeze increasing into light winds later on as temperatures, which start at 28c level out at 27c.
TV & Streaming: Viewers in India and the subcontinent can watch this match live on Star Sports channels or stream it via the Disney+ Hotstar app. Viewers in Pakistan can watch this match live on both PTV Sports and TEN Sports or stream it through the Tapmad app and website. Viewers in Bangladesh can watch this match live on Gazi TV or stream it either on Rabbithole or through the Toffee app. Viewers in Afghanistan can watch this match live on Ariana TV. Viewers in the UK can watch this match live on TNT Sports or stream it via Discovery+. Viewers in Australia can watch this match live on Fox Sports or stream it via the Foxtel or Kayo Sports app.
KEY BETTING STATS
- India have beaten Sri Lanka in nine of their last ten ODI meetings – To Win the Match
- Shubman Gill has scored 275 runs for India across the 2023 Asia Cup, more than any other player – Team – Top Batter
- Matheesha Pathirana has taken 11 wickets for Sri Lanka across the 2023 Asia Cup, more than any other player – Team – Top Bowler
BETTING ANALYSIS
India rested a number of key players in their last remaining ‘Super Four’ fixture against Bangladesh, with their place in the final already secure. The likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav should all come back into the starting line-up here, and the latter, in particular, deserves attention. Yadav has taken nine wickets in his last two appearances for India, backing up his five-wicket-haul against Pakistan with four wickets vs Sri Lanka. Taking on the same opponents on what should be a spin-friendly pitch, back Yadav to finish as India’s top bowler for the third time in their last four games. That ‘Super Four’ victory over Sri Lanka also saw Jasprit Bumrah pick up two wickets, and the quality of his pace-bowling may well yield significant rewards come the final. Utilize the ‘Bowler Total Match Wickets’ market to back over 2.5 wickets for Bumrah. With the bat, you could make a case for a number of Indian players to rack up a huge individual score here. Two of India’s last three games have seen at least one of their batters reach three figures, so the smart play for bettors is to back an Indian player to score a hundred in this match at good value rather than invest individual stakes in multiple batters.
Sri Lanka booked their place in a second consecutive Asia Cup final with a thrilling triumph against Pakistan in their final ‘Super Four’ match. They were victorious in the final, again over Pakistan, but that was played as a T20 fixture, while this game vs. India will be a 50-over contest. Plenty will depend on Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka’s number three batter, who is in excellent form, having struck 91 vs. Pakistan last time out and has accumulated 156 runs across his last three innings. Numerous markets offer good value in which to invest in Mendis, who is worth backing to finish as his side’s top batter. The ‘Player of the Match’ market also stands out as one where a small stake in Mendis could prove a shrewd move. Another batter who really impressed across the ‘Super Four’ stage was Sadeera Samarawickrama. He racked up 158 runs over the course of Sri Lanka’s most recent three games, more than any other player in the squad, which underlines why a small stake in Samarawickrama in the ‘Team – Top Batter’ market alongside Mendis is well worth considering. Samarawickrama’s 93 from just 72 balls against Bangladesh included two 6s, underlining his ability to clear the boundary rope, so those investors looking for a point of difference can back the 28-year-old to score the most 6s for Sri Lanka in this encounter.
CRICKET 8’S EXPERT PREDICTION
India will come into the final as hot favourites to beat Sri Lanka, when considering that they have already done so once across this tournament and boast 14 victories over Sri Lanka across their last 16 meetings in 50-over cricket. However, if Sri Lanka are to pull off a surprise result and retain the trophy they won last year, bowler Matheesha Pathirana will need to play a starring role. He is Sri Lanka’s ace in the pack, offering subtle changes of pace, accuracy, and superb skill with the ball. His numbers speak for themselves, and nobody has taken more wickets than his 11 scalps over the course of the competition so far. Regardless of the final outcome between these two nations, expect Pathirana to be amongst the wickets again and further cement his status as one of the brightest young stars of the world game.
TIP: MATHEESHA PATHIRANA TO TAKE OVER 1.5 MATCH WICKETS
