The second ODI between India and Sri Lanka takes place on Wednesday and after what has to be described as a shock win for the tourists in the first match there really is everything to play for when the sides get to Mohali.
India know they have to win in Mohali to keep the series alive while another surprise win for Sri Lanka will see them take the series with a match to spare so there is plenty at stake in this match.
India
It was hard to believe how poor India were in the opening match in Dharamsala. While we shouldn’t ignore how good Sri Lanka bowled there was little intent from the Indian openers and they made the wicket look much worse than it actually was as evidenced by MS Dhoni when he came in and looked comfortable.
To be fair to the Indians they gave it a good go in the field but they were never going to have enough runs to defend and while they took a couple of scalps with them they were always well behind the game. They will need a massive improvement with the bat here but that goes without saying. Without Virat Kohli to fall back on it will be interesting to see if someone stands up to be counted.
Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankans will be absolutely delighted with their performance in the opening match. It all stemmed from their new ball bowlers who never let the Indians get away from them and then forced enough mistakes to pile the pressure on them. A couple of brave reviews were rewarded to the full too.
There won’t be many concerns from the first match for Sri Lanka so the one thing they need to ensure is that they put back to back performances together. They have not done that for a while but if they can play as well again they would have every chance. They will need to bat well on what is usually a great batting wicket.
Team News
All eyes will be on the Indian teamsheet to see what changes, if any, they make. You would think after their failure in the first game Ajinkya Rahane will be an option that is utilised in this one.
Sri Lanka may not want to change a winning side but the form of Lahiru Thirimanne must be becoming something of a concern. Kusal Perera would be one of a number of options they could use if they want to change.
PCA Stadium
There have been 23 previous ODIs on this ground with both these sides having a winning record here. India have won nine and lost five of their 14 matches while Sri Lanka have a couple of wins and a defeat from their three outings here.
The wicket here is usually a good cricket one. There is usually something in it for the seamers but the batsmen get full value for their shots on what is often a lightning fast outfield so we should be treated to a decent match.
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Betting
We saw in the first match that there is nothing like a certainty in cricket these days and I certainly wouldn’t want to be backing India off the back of what we witnessed in Dharamsala but the old adage of one swallow not making a summer applies to Sri Lanka so this isn’t a match I particularly want to get stuck into.
The bet I’m more interested in comes in the sixes line where 11 looks very high given the size of this ground. It would look high anyway but when you consider that India’s batting line up has just been reduced to 29/7 and Sri Lanka’s hasn’t really looked confident in this format for a while it really does look high.
I don’t expect India to bat as badly again but they may well be more cautious than usual while the Indian attack won’t go around the park. I’m pretty sure the under is a good thing here.
Tips
Back Under 11 sixes for a 5/10 stake at 1.73 with Bet365
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