IND vs SL: India and Sri Lanka will play the 1st T20I of the three-match series at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati stadium on Sunday.
Here we take a look at 5 potential match-winners other than the usual suspects like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga.
The 28-year old all-rounder Dasun Shanaka is one of the most improved cricketers in the Sri Lankan circuit at present. Shanaka showed great signs when he first made his T20I debut against West Indies in 2015 but he was never a permanent member of the team.
The all-rounder was always in and around the team but his breakthrough phase came when he accepted the challenge to captain his national side when their A grade players refused to travel to Pakistan last year. Under his captaincy, Sri Lanka whitewashed the #1 T20I side and he played some decisive knocks in that series. Shanaka was surprisingly dropped from the playing XI in the 3rd T20I but after that, he had a good BPL.
Kusal Perera is one of the difficult batsmen to bowl to when he on song. Perera has the power to clear the long boundaries and he times the ball beautifully to go with that. After all who would have forgotten his match-winning innings against South Africa in South Africa against the likes of Steyn, Philander and Rabada. Though the format was different there, he showed what he can do even in the hopeless situation of the game.
Kusal Perera was the sole shining light for Sri Lanka in that horrible series against the Aussies in Australia, where Sri Lanka was thrashed 3-0.
The dashing and dynamic wicketkeeper might be facing tough time out in the middle especially in the T20I format, but his batting exploits are known to everyone around the world. Pant is just 22 years old but has already gained a huge reputation as a powerful hitter around the world. He will be given another opportunity to express himself and destroy the doubts that some have over his batting skills.
The calm and composed former Lankan captain will be playing his first T20I match after a gap of 16 months. Mathews loves to play against India and as a matter of fact, all his three one-day international hundreds have come against India.
Angelo Mathews has been off-colour in the last few months, but still has the much-needed experience to tackle big match pressure and knows how to take the game deep. His experience will be needed if Sri Lanka is to pose any challenge to the mighty Indians.
Kuldeep Yadav cried when Moeen Ali smashed him all around the park in last year’s IPL but since then Kuldeep has become a more matured and much-improved bowler for India. Yadav can change the game within a span of 3 balls, bamboozle the batsmen with his wrong’un and enticing pace.
Kuldeep Yadav bowled brilliantly in a high-scoring encounter in the recently concluded 3rd T20I between India and West Indies where he finished with figures of 2 for 45 in four overs and picked the important wicket of Hetmyer who was going all guns blazing then. Sri Lankans have to be wary of Kuldeep threat and should negate him if they are to pose a threat to Indians.
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