Interested in 1st T20 Predictions IND vs SL?
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Background
The stage is set for an exciting showdown as India and Sri Lanka gear up to face each other in the first of three IT20s on Tuesday evening.
The match is set to take place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with a start time of 19:00 local time.
This will be India’s first IT20 match since their 1-0 victory over New Zealand in a three-match series in November. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, last played this format in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
India has had a disappointing performance in their last two T20 World Cup tournaments, but they have a team full of talented players. It would be a major surprise if they don’t get off to a winning start in this series, especially in the first match.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, won the 2022 Asia Cup, but they have been an inconsistent team across all formats. Despite this, many experts expect them to be competitive in this IT20 match.
Those who want to catch the match live can do so on Star Sports, Sky Sports Cricket, Super Sports, and Fox Cricket. Additionally, fans can stream the match on Disney+ Hotstar and Sky Go.
Pitch stats
When it comes to predicting the outcome of the match, teams that bat second have won 52.5% of IT20s at the Wankhede Stadium.
It is likely that both teams will want to field first if they win the toss. In terms of the pitch, the Wankhede Stadium always has good pace, and experts expect the ball to come onto the bat nicely in this match. A par score is expected to be over 175.
The weather in Mumbai is expected to be clear throughout the game, with temperatures in the mid-high 20s and moderate humidity levels.
Team News
Moving on to the team previews, India will be led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who captained the team in New Zealand in November.
However, he has not been appointed as the long-term skipper in this format.
Notable players for India include Suryakumar Yadav, who was the leading run-scorer in IT20s during 2022 and will be vice-captain, Hardik Pandya, who had an excellent year in this format and has established himself as a key player for India across both white-ball teams, and Arshdeep Singh, a young left-arm pace bowler who is capable of picking up wickets at the start and end of an innings.
For Sri Lanka, they come into this series without any new injuries or players unavailable. We can expect Sri Lanka’s line-up to be very similar to their last game in this format during the T20 World Cup.
Key players for Sri Lanka include Pathum Nissanka, a 24-year-old opener who has become one of Sri Lanka’s most important players across all formats, Wanindu Hasaranga, a bowling all-rounder who will take on the role of vice-captain in this series, and Lahiru Kumara, who has an excellent record in this format despite having played only 25 IT20s.
Who will win
India holds a good record over Sri Lanka in this format, with an overall lead of 17-8 going into this first match of the series.
Sri Lanka has only won three of the last 11 IT20s between the two teams. Based on the current performances of both teams and their past records, many experts predict that India will come out on top in this match.
However, it should be an exciting series, and cricket supporters around the world look forward to the opening game.
