Sri Lanka win toss, opt to bowl first against India

Sri Lanka squad, led by skipper Dasun Shanaka, won the toss and chose to bowl first in the first of the three T20I series against India played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Having led India in the T20Is in New Zealand, Hardik Pandya will be leading the team for the first time at home.

Both the teams last played in a bilateral series last year when Sri Lanka toured India for a three-match T20I series and two Test matches, losing all five games. In last year’s T20 World Cup, India reached the semifinals while Sri Lanka were knocked out during the Super 12 stage. Earlier last year, Sri Lanka had won the 2022 Asia Cup in UAE.

“We didn’t have a good World Cup, so we would look to step up and do well in this series,” said Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka ahead of the T20Is. “The first game is really important. India have totally changed their lineup. We also got some experience in our camp. We are looking forward to the first game, we must do well in the first game which sets the tone for the other games.”

India Playing XI: Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

-with inputs from agencies