MUMBAI, India (AP) — Captain Kusal Mendis called correctly at the toss and Sri Lanka opted to bowl against India in their Cricket World Cup match Thursday.
The match is a replay of the 2011 final, when India won by six wickets and the Wankhede Stadium venue became hallowed turf for the cricket-crazed nation. A sea of blue had poured out onto the streets of Mumbai that night after MS Dhoni lifted India’s second World Cup trophy.
India has set the pace in this tournament in a bid for a third title. It is currently second in the points’ table — equal on 12 points with South Africa but trailing on net run-rate. It has the chance to go to the top of the table with another win, which will confirm the hosts’ spot in the semifinals.
Sri Lanka is seventh in the standings, with four points from six games. It has two wins against the Netherlands and England. The 1996 champions need to win all its remaining three games to have a mathematical chance of qualifying for the last four.
India has fielded the same side from its win against England in Lucknow. Sri Lanka has made one change to its playing 11, with spin all-rounder Dushan Hemantha coming in for Dhananjaya de Dilva.
The pitch at Wankhede Stadium is batsmen-friendly and high scores are likely. Dew in the evening could help the chasing side.
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Lineups:
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Lokesh Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (captain), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dushan Hemantha, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
