Asia Cup Final 2023 IND vs SL Match Preview, Head-to-Head, Pitch Report, Top Players, Playing XI
The wait is over as Sri Lanka has made it to the final of the Asia Cup 2023. They have back-to-back finals and this year they will face India. Did you win back-to-back by placing cricket bets on our website? If not then join us now, Utilize our cricket betting tips to place your bets and stand a chance to win significant cash rewards and exclusive offers. For cricket enthusiasts, this article provides match insights, including pitch conditions, top players, and match preview. Join now to enjoy the thrill of your favourite game.
Asia Cup Final 2023 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, at the same venue.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
The pitch is conducive to batting, offering some initial seam movement for the pacers and later assistance for spinners in the second innings. Batsmen will need to settle in, and if they do, they can put up substantial scores.
While the weather is cloudy, the likelihood of extended rain interruptions is low, and we should expect a full match to take place without losing too much time and overs.
Ground Records
Head-to-Head Records
The below table shows how both teams have performed against each other so far. One can easily find out that India has dominated Sri Lanka in the ODIs.
| Total Matches | IND won | SL won | Tie / Draw | No Result |
| 167 | 98 | 57 | 1 | 11 |
Asia Cup Final 2023 IND vs SL Match Preview
Team India
They have been firing all over this year. Last year, they were down and out and even lost their place in the final after being defeated at the hands of Sri Lanka. This year, they have outclassed all of their opponents except in the game against Bangladesh which was a dead rubber and had some new faces to allow some rest to the main players of the team. India wants to make a strong squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and it seems like they are firing all cylinders.
The last match against Bangladesh was a test for some new faces as it was a dead rubber. Tilak Varma got his maiden call-up while Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammad Shami, SKY and Axar Patel got the chance to prove their point. Bangladesh decided to put up a total and they got succeeded in doing so. Shardul and Shami started really well and dismantled the top order. Bangladesh was struggling at 59 for 4 but then the skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy stepped up to make an excellent partnership of 100 runs.
Shakib scored a commendable 80, and Hridoy contributed with a valuable half-century. Shardul picked up 3 wickets for India and Shami got 2 wickets with good economical bowling. The late cameo of the left-hander Nasum Ahmed put Bangladesh in a comfortable position and they reached 265 for 8.
Indians responded poorly at the start with the skipper Rohit Sharma gone for a duck. The debutant Tanzid Hasan got his first international wicket and it was a big fish. Tilak couldn’t impress in his debut match and got out very early. The wickets continued to fall while Shubman Gill was keeping the other end intact. He went on to score a brilliant century but then got out. Shakib rotated spinners very well and India couldn’t hit hard on them.
Axar Patel held his composure and aimed to take the game deep but was dismissed for 42 after playing a rash shot. Mustafizur Rehman took 3 wickets, while Tanzim Hasan and Mahedi Hasan claimed 2 each, leaving India 6 runs short of victory.
Team Sri Lanka
The team lacked consistency throughout the tournament. The batting is the real concern as compared to their fine bowling line-up. They were performing but in bits and pieces. In the Super 4 round, they showed a great team effort against Bangladesh and outclassed them completely. But then they met India in the next match and got a taste of their own medicine in the form of excellent spin bowling from Kuldeep Yadav. Earlier, India got trapped in the spin web of Dunith Wellalage and then Sri Lanka got trapped in Kuldeep’s brilliance.
But they rose up again against Pakistan which was missing some of their prime bowlers. A remarkable victory against Pakistan boosted their confidence. Pakistan decided to put some runs on the board. They had a poor start and Fakhar Zaman’ short stay at the crease continued. Pramod Madushan removed him with an absolute beauty. Abdullah Shafique and the skipper Babar Azam made a solid partnership but the latter one got stumped on Dunith Wellalage’s wonderful delivery. Shafique got out immediately after scoring his maiden fifty.
Sri Lanka kept the pressure on Pakistan and took wickets at regular intervals and reduced them to 122 for 5. But then, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammed Rizwan spent time on the crease and took the total to 252 for 7. Pathirana claimed 3 wickets, while Madushan secured 2. In response, Sri Lanka enjoyed a promising start, led by Kusal Perera, who set the tone for the chase before being run out.
Kusal Mendis played an excellent hand of 91 runs and got out at a crucial time. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka were taking the game smoothly and suddenly Sadeera got stumped on Iftikhar’s lovely flighted delivery.
Pakistan tried to put pressure and in the end, Sri Lanka needed just 12 runs in 2 overs with 5 wickets in hand. In Shaheen’s over, Dhanajaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage fell to consecutive deliveries and Pakistan was back in the game. The final over, delivered by Zaman Khan, added a thrilling dimension to the game. Sri Lanka needed 6 runs from 2 balls, and they managed to secure a boundary off Charith Asalanka’s bat, followed by a crucial couple to seal the victory. Asalanka remained unbeaten on 49, and Sri Lanka secured their place in the final.
Top Players to Watch
Team India
Team Sri Lanka
Team Squads
Team India
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma
Team Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando
Asia Cup Final 2023 IND vs SL Match Predictions
Team India
Team Sri Lanka
Probable Playing XI
Team India
Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
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
Match Prediction
India looks like a better and stronger contender. They have already defeated Sri Lanka in the Super 4 round. India has a good batting line-up, their top order is on fire already and the middle order is handled rightfully by Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja. The likes of in-form bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammad Siraj could be lethal for any team.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka lacks in batting. Their bowling still has quality in it. The top order hasn’t done well so far and it put a lot of pressure on the middle order. The skipper Dasun Shanaka has failed miserably in this tournament and therefore he could’t finish the game for his team. The team’s batting is mostly carried by Asalanka, Mendis and Samarawickrama. Hence, they have to make an extra effort to compete with India.
Fantasy Playing XI
Based on the stats above, this could be the winning fantasy team.
Conclusion
Both teams have earned their spot in the final with some outstanding performances, particularly against Pakistan. India boasts an impressive record with seven Asia Cup titles, while Sri Lanka has claimed the trophy six times. Will Sri Lanka level the playing field and secure their 7th title, or will India replicate their earlier dominant performance in the tournament? The answer will be revealed shortly. In the meantime, don’t forget to join our cricket betting platform and place your bets for a chance to win substantial cash rewards.
