Game 33 of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will feature a clash between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Sri Lanka will be coming into the clash on the back of a loss against Afghanistan in their previous game. Both sides faced each other in the 30th game of the marquee event, where Afghanistan managed to inch away with a seven-wicket victory.
On the other hand, Team India is unbeaten in the tournament and are currently at the top spot in the table. Having played six games in the tournament so far, India has registered brilliant wins in every clash, and they would be keen on continuing their winning run against Sri Lanka.
The Men in Blue have been on a victorious run since the offset of the tournament, beating England by 100 runs in a low-scoring thriller in Lucknow on Sunday. Hardik Pandya's injury was expected to add pressure to the Indian team in the absence of an additional bowling alternative.
However, the home side has turned the tables with the introduction of Mohammed Shami in the playing XI, who has picked nine wickets in two games until now. His incredible wicket-taking ability has added further sharpness in the bowling attack, and skipper Rohit Sharma would not want to change the winning combination in the coming game.
Both sides were involved in the 2011 World Cup final at the same venue, if that World Cup final was truly a battle of titans in every sense, the impending contest is more or less a battle of the unequals. India have hitherto marched on immaculately in pursuit of a third title and Sri Lanka have lost more than what they have won. Unbeaten in six straight games and largely unchallenged for longer spans, India have displayed traits of being a champion side which has the knack of staging remarkable fightbacks.
Sri Lanka are no pushovers but they have faltered more often than not in this World Cup after an superlative show in the qualification round. Injuries and unavailability of key players have also ravaged the team from the island nation, but its young brigade should make the most of facing a high quality opponent in its pomp.