FANTASY
Follow UsIndia and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the second T20I in Pune on Thursday (January 5). This is a three-match T20I series. India won the first T20I by 2 runs in a last ball finish. Hence, the second T20I in Pune becomes a do-or-die game for the visitors.
Ground Details and Team Combination
Pune hasn’t hosted a T20I since January 2020 but was witness to 13 games during IPL 2022. Traditionally, the conditions at Pune’s MCA Stadium offer a lot to the seamers in terms of early movement and true bounce. Sri Lanka took advantage of the same in 2016, reducing India to 53/6 within the first 10 overs with all the six wickets going to the pacers.
Spinners are a lot less effective which can work against Sri Lanka if the pacers are not able to take advantage of the moving ball. As is the norm, leg-spinners are more productive in terms of picking wickets while finger spinners are more economical here. If the conditions follow the usual standard, we can see a high-scoring game in the second fixture of this series.
Suggested teams
While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Captaincy suggestions
For small leagues: Wanindu Hasaranga ( c ), Hardik Pandya (vc)
For grand leagues: Shubman Gill ( c ), Kusal Mendis (vc)
Stats That Matter
- Kusal Mendis has been one of Sri Lanka’s top T20I batters since 2022, scoring 549 runs at an average and strike-rate of 28.9 and 131 respectively.
- Since Sri Lanka's Asia Cup triumph, Bhanuka Rajapaksa has scored only 135 runs (average 16.9, strike-rate 116.4) in eight innings. In the recently concluded Lanka Premier League, Rajapaksa managed only 95 runs across seven outings.
- Sanju Samson is ruled out of the series after suffering a knee injury while fielding in the first T20I.
- Maheesh Theekshana has tapered off in the last few games. Since October, 2022, his bowling average has soared up to 23.1 runs per wicket.
- Dasun Shanaka holds a superb record versus vs Harshal Patel in T20Is. In three innings, the Sri Lanka skipper has carted Harshal for 50 runs from 20 balls without getting out.
Grand League Punts
- Chamika Karunaratne can be a good punt to play. A seam-up bowler and a power-hitter of pace bowling, Karunaratne can enjoy the conditions with both bat and bowl.
- Bowlers who can swing the new ball - Dilshan Madushanka and Shivam Mavi - can wreak havoc early on. To make bigger bucks, any of them can also be picked as a vice-captain.
Here are the Top 10 Criclytics Projections
Probable XIs
India: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Hardik Pandya ( c ), Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Shivam Mavi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka ( c ), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka
