Asia Cup 2023 Final: IND vs SL Match Preview, Head-to-Head, Pitch Report, Key Players, Playing XI

Our finalists for the Asia Cup 2023 are confirmed: India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s impressive performance in the knockout match against Pakistan has secured their place in the final once again. If you’re a cricket enthusiast, you’ve come to the right place for match insights, including pitch reports, key players, head-to-head records, match previews etc. Make use of our cricket betting tips to place your bets and seize the opportunity to win substantial cash rewards and exclusive offers. Join us now to experience the thrill of your favorite game.

Asia Cup 2023 Final: IND vs SL Match Details

The Asia Cup 2023 final is scheduled to be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the match set to commence at 3 PM IST.

Pitch Report

The pitch provides favorable conditions for batting and offers some seam movement for the pacers. Spinners will also find assistance, particularly in the second innings. Batsmen need to take their time, and once they get settled, they can aim for significant scores. The initial stage of the innings for batsmen would be challenging and the shot selections should be up to the mark.

Weather Report

The weather is cloudy, and there may be occasional interruptions due to rain, but these interruptions are not expected to be prolonged. As a result, a full 50-over match should be possible and we should have fewer overs to play.

Venue Stats

Asia Cup 2023 Final: IND vs SL Match Preview

Team India has displayed exceptional performances in all aspects of the game during the Asia Cup 2023. Their batting has been impressive, and their bowling has been masterful. This performance indicates that the team is in good shape as they prepare for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

In their recent match against Bangladesh, India introduced some new faces to the team, providing them with an opportunity to gain experience. Players like Tilak Varma made their ODI debut, and Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav, and Axar Patel were included in the playing XI. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, India’s bowlers, led by Shami and Shardul, put Bangladesh on the back foot early in the game. 

Bangladesh struggled at 59 for 4 until skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy formed a crucial partnership, contributing 100 runs to the total. Shakib played a splendid innings of 80 runs, while Hridoy added a valuable half-century to the score. Shami claimed 2 wickets, while Shardul took 3, as Bangladesh managed to reach 265 for 8. Nasum Ahmed’s cameo also supported their total.

However, India’s batting didn’t start as well as expected in response. They lost four wickets with a score of under 100 runs. Rohit Sharma was dismissed without scoring, and Tilak couldn’t capitalize on his opportunity. Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) played a rash shot, continuing his poor form in ODIs. Axar Patel, who held his nerves, tried to take the match deep but was dismissed for 42 after playing an ordinary shot. Mustafizur Rehman took 3 wickets, while Tanzim Hasan, the debutant and Mahedi Hasan claimed 2 each, and India fell short by 6 runs in their chase.

Team Sri Lanka

They have qualified consecutively in the Asia Cup finals. Last year, they played the final against Pakistan and clinched victory. This year, they have once again played very well despite their main players getting injured. It seems their bowling would be a concern but they overcame it. In the virtual knockout game against Pakistan, the team would be pretty happy with their complete performance after an embarrassing loss to India in the Super 4 stage. 

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Fakhar Zaman failed once again and was removed by Pramod Madushan. Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique had a steady partnership but the former one got stumped on Dunith Wellalage’s outstanding delivery. Shafique made his maiden ODI fifty but immediately got dismissed by Matheesha Pathirana. The middle order crumbled under pressure and Sri Lanka kept taking wickets. Pakistan was in trouble at 122 for 5 and then Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed took the charge to score runs. They hit the ball and put pressure on Sri Lanka. In the rain-hit game, Pakistan managed to reach 252 for 7. Pathirana took 3 and Madushan picked 2 wickets. 

In response, Sri Lanka had a fine start and Kusal Perera set the tone for the chase but unfortunately, he got run out. Kusal Mendis came in and both he and Pathum Nissanka made above fifty run stand before the latter was dismissed by Shadab Khan. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis kept the run rate under control and frustrated the Pakistani bowlers. Suddenly, Iftikhar removed Sadeera and Pakistan got a chance to come back into the game. 

The skipper Dasun Shanaka once again failed to finish for Sri Lanka and got out cheaply. Charith Asalanka was fighting from one end and Pakistan took control of the game. Dhanajaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage were dismissed by Shaheen Afridi on consecutive deliveries. The last over of Zaman Khan was a thriller. Sri Lanka needed 6 runs off 2 balls and then they got a boundary off Charith Asalanka’s bat and then he took a couple to finish the game. He was not out on 49 and Sri Lanka made it into the final.

Head-to-Head Records

India is all over Sri Lanka when they face each other in the ODIs.

Key Players to Watch

We will take the stats from the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 and analyze how they have performed so far.

Team India

Team Sri Lanka

Squads

Team India

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli,  Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma

Team Sri Lanka

Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha

Asia Cup 2023 Final: IND vs SL Match Predictions

Team India

Team Sri Lanka

Predicted Playing XI

Team India

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli,  Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav

Team Sri Lanka

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Fantasy Playing XI

Based on the stats above, this could be the winning fantasy team.

Conclusion

Indeed, both India and Sri Lanka have showcased their cricketing prowess in the Asia Cup 2023, earning their place in the final through some exceptional performances. The fact that their major victories came against a strong opponent like Pakistan speaks volumes about their capabilities. The Asia Cup final is always a highly anticipated clash, and this edition is no different. India, with seven titles to their name, will be determined to add another feather to their cap. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will be eager to level the playing field and claim their 7th Asia Cup title.