Both India and Sri Lanka are going into the opening game of the three-match T20I series, under their newly appointed captains- Suryakumar Yadav and Charith Asalanka respectively. The SL vs Ind series will offer the Indian team a great stage to start their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.
The death overs (16-20) is perhaps the most vital phase of the 20-over game, where a team from a comfortable position can lose their impact with either bat and ball and vice-versa. That’s why most of the games generally get decided in this period.
Since the start of 2024, before the SL vs Ind series, the Indian team has managed to nail 644 T20I runs in 15 innings, at an average of nearly 30, with a strike rate of almost 180, which is where they have developed themselves the most in the last one year or so. The blue brigade has lost 42 wickets in this period, which is quite expected, besides smashed 41 boundaries and 42 sixes.
On the flip side of the coin, Sri Lanka have collected 504 T20I runs in 11 innings, before the SL vs Ind series, which has come at an average of 21.91 and a strike rate of nearly 160, which isn’t that bad too. The Island side have lost 23 wickets in this phase of the game, besides smashing 48 boundaries and 27 over boundaries in the last five overs.
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When it comes to the bowling department, the Indian team has picked up 48 wickets in 16 innings, besides being smacked for 596 T20I runs at an average of 12.42 and a strike rate of under nine, The economy rate of 8.56 is gold at this era of T20I cricket, where batters have the power to cross any boundaries without a second thought. They have been blasted for 44 fours and 26 sixes in this duration.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has been belted away for 414 runs in 11 innings, at an average of 18 and a strike rate of almost 11, before this SL vs Ind series, since the start of the year 2024. The economy rate of 9.94 is again another part that they need to work on. They have been smashed for 26 boundaries and 21 sixes in those 11 innings, and that’s an area where Sri Lanka needs to do better planning.
SL vs IND: Weather Report And Pitch Report- 1st T20I, India Tour Of Sri Lanka 2024
The evening temperature for the SL vs Ind first T20I game is expected to be around 24 degrees Celsius, with a precipitation rate of around 14%, which suggests rain shouldn’t make an appearance during the evening. The cloud cover of 96% means dew isn’t expected to play a role during the game, with a humidity level of 86%.
| SL vs IND Weather Forecast | |
| Temperature | 24-degree Celsius |
| Weather Forecast | Cloudy and humid |
| Dew Point | 22-degree Celsius |
| Humidity Level | 86% |
| Cloud Cover | 96% |
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SL vs IND Pitch Report
Before the opening T20I game of the 2024 series of SL vs Ind, the average first-inning total at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was around 175 in 2020, while it was 153 in 2019.
In the last seven T20I games at this venue, the team batting first has won four affairs, while the rest three results have gone in the favour of the chasing team.
The leg-spinners have an economy rate of around 7.40 in this ground, while the fast bowlers have gone for runs at a rate of under eight. The off-spinners haven’t enjoyed their time for their huge economy rate of over nine.
Kushal Perera is the leading run-getter in this ground in T20Is, before the SL vs Ind series, with 150 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 126.05, while Lasith Malinga is the top wicket-taker with 10 scalps in six T20Is at an economy of 7.39.
