Third ODI between Sri Lanka and India: India is desperate to prevent a rare series loss to Sri Lanka

India and Sri Lanka are gearing up for an exciting showdown in the third and final ODI of their series on Wednesday, August 7, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka, having taken a 1-0 lead in the series, stands just one win away from achieving a historic series victory against India. 

The Sri Lankan spinners have posed significant challenges for the Indian batsmen throughout the series. In the first two matches, India's batting lineup has struggled to cope with the slow and turning conditions of the Colombo pitch. Rohit Sharma has been a rare bright spot, consistently scoring half-centuries in both games. However, other key Indian batsmen such as Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have found it difficult to tackle the spin attack, with their performances falling short of expectations.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has demonstrated remarkable improvement and adaptability. Following a close defeat in the third T20I, the team made a strong comeback with a 32-run victory in the first ODI. Jeffrey Vandersay was instrumental in this success, delivering an outstanding performance by claiming six wickets for 33 runs and dismissing some of India’s top-order batsmen. His spell effectively dismantled India's batting order and has been a pivotal factor in Sri Lanka's advantage in the series.

Sri Lanka is on the cusp of making history, as they seek their first bilateral series win against India since 1997. Despite facing setbacks such as injuries to key players Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka, the Sri Lankan squad, under the leadership of Charith Asalanka, has shown exceptional resilience and determination. Their performance has been a testament to their grit and has put them in a strong position to secure a series victory.

The head-to-head record between the two teams shows India with 99 wins and Sri Lanka with 58 from a total of 170 matches. In matches played in Sri Lanka, India has won 32 while Sri Lanka has secured 29 victories. This reflects a competitive and closely fought rivalry between the two sides.

Looking ahead to the match, the weather forecast for Colombo is promising, with no rain expected during the fixture. The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium is anticipated to continue favoring spin bowlers, making it challenging for batsmen to score freely under lights. This might influence the captain who wins the toss to opt for batting first, setting a challenging target for the opposition.

The probable playing XI for Sri Lanka includes Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis as the wicketkeeper, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka as captain, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, and Jeffrey Vandersay. For India, the expected lineup features Rohit Sharma as captain, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, with either KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant taking the wicketkeeper role, Shivam Dube or Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh.

This final ODI is set to be a thrilling conclusion to the series, as India aims to level the score and avoid a historic defeat, while Sri Lanka looks to cement their place in cricket history with a memorable series win on home soil.