Team India will take on Sri Lanka in the final of Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday, September 17. With heavy rain threat looming large over the match, all eyes will be on the Men in Blue as they aim to clinch the title. Sri Lanka are defending champions and they have played like one in the tournament. They have played to their strengths in this tournament, using the skillful spinners to great use. It will most probably be a battle between India batters and Sri Lankan spinners.  


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Having secured qualification for the showpiece event, overcoming myriad challenges and close contests in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, the Lankans would be keen not to cede the mantle of Asia's best to their sub-continental neighbours.


A win in the all-important final on Sunday will certainly make them a dark horse in the World Cup, where the matches will be played on familiar sub-continental surfaces. Sri Lanka came close to handing India their first defeat of the Asia Cup 2023 in the Super Four stage but the visitors' bowling attack came to the party to eke out a hard-fought win.
On a surface known to offer plenty of purchase for the spinners, the Lankan Lions will miss their bowling trump card — mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana. The tweaker, who has been among the wickets in the tournament, was ruled out of the final after sustaining an injury in his right hamstring during their nerve-jangling Super Four clash against Pakistan. 



In a tournament where Pakistan's pace trio of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Nasim Shah has dominated the wicket-takers list, Theekshana made his mark by claiming 9 wickets in 5 matches at an economy of 5.15. 


Barring a narrow defeat in an inconsequential Super Four clash against Bangladesh on Friday, India have been on song in the tournament. However, the visitors suffered a setback going into the final, with all-rounder Axar Patel ruled out because of a left quadriceps strain that he sustained during the Super Four clash with Bangladesh on Friday.


In his place, Washington Sundar was called in ahead of the final and will have an opportunity to put himself in contention for the World Cup squad, should he make the playing eleven on Sunday. 


All-rounder Shardul, while going cold with the willow so far in the tournament, has been in good wicket-taking form as he ended up with figures of 3-65 against Bangladesh. Shakib Al Hasan, Anamul Haque and Tanzid Hasan were his victims on the evening.


But India could be tempted to play Sundar in place of Shardul in the final, as offers a similar set of skills with the bat while adding more variety with his left-handed batting style in a line-up that majorly comprises right-handers.


India Vs Sri Lanka Probable Playing 11s


India predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj


Sri Lanka predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madhushan, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana


India vs Sri Lanka Dream11 Fantasy team - Asia Cup 2023


Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul, Kusal Mendis


Batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka


All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage (vc)


Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav


With ANI inputs