Sri Lanka vs India: 1st T20I, July 25, 2021, India Tour of Sri Lanka Match Prediction

Match Predictions

After the three-match ODI series, the caravan now moves to the shortest format. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in a few months, both teams will have an eye out on their combinations and will want to iron out quite a few things.

Sri Lanka are going to play the first round of the mega event and are not even in the Super 12s at the moment. Their T20 form has been abysmal to say the least. Since the start of October 2019, they have lost 12 out of the 14 games and have managed to win just one (one washout) – against West Indies earlier this year. Only two of these games came at home but they lost even those two. In fact, Sri Lanka have lost five consecutive bilateral T20I series and have lost nine out of their last 10 bilateral T20I series. Be it with the bat or ball, they just haven’t been up to the mark. Sri Lanka have constantly chopped and changed their side as well which hasn’t helped. Hence, they will be desperate to turn things around.

On the other hand, India have remained unbeaten in their last eight bilateral T20I series. Since August 2019, India have won 20 out of their 27 games in T20I cricket. Last year, they beat Australia 2-1 before earning a hard-fought 3-2 series win over a strong England side earlier this year. However, India are without most of their first-choice players as they are in the United Kingdom for the Test series against England. Hence, a lot of the fringe players will want to make a case for themselves with the T20 World Cup around the corner.

India will start as overwhelming favourites. Moreover, India have barely lost against Sri Lanka in the recent past. Across all formats, Sri Lanka have won just five games against India since the start of 2015. Moreover, in the last 12 T20Is that these two sides have faced each other, India have won 10 while Sri Lanka have won just one. Thus, India will be ahead big time and will be the favourites to win this series as well.

Summary

Like the 50-over format, India have been absolutely dominant against Sri Lanka in T20Is as well. These two sides have square off 19 times in the history of T20I cricket and the ‘Men in Blue’ have won 13 of those games. Sri Lanka have won just five T20Is against India and one game was washed out. In Sri Lanka, India have won four and Sri Lanka have won just one. Meanwhile, in India, India lead 8-2. It is only in multi-nation tournaments and neutral venues, Sri Lanka have two wins while India have one.