Picking a combined India-Sri Lanka playing 11 ahead of 2023 World Cup clash ft. Virat Kohli and Kusal Mendis
Team India and Sri Lanka are set to square off in the same setting from the World Cup final 12 years back at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2.
While the Men in Blue have been in sparkling form, winning all six games so far in the tournament, Sri Lanka have been inconsistent with sporadic performances. A win will confirm India's qualification to the semi-final, whereas the Lions must win to keep their slender semi-final hopes alive.
As far as head-to-head in ODI World Cups, it is a deadlock at four apiece between the sides, with India winning four of the last five meetings. They have also been dominant against the Lankan Lions recently in 50-over cricket, winning the last five and 15 off the previous 17 clashes.
Considering those numbers, Rohit Shama's men will undoubtedly start as heavy favorites in front of a packed crowd in Mumbai. The two sides also recently met in the final of the Asia Cup, with India emerging victorious by 10 wickets in a massively one-sided affair.
As we build up to the clash between the Asian rivals, let us pick a combined India-Sri Lanka playing XI.
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Pathum Nissanka
Undoubtedly, the opening batter of not just the India-Sri Lanka 11 but the overall World Cup has to be Indian skipper Rohit Sharma.
The 36-year-old has been in scintillating form through the tournament, with a century and two fifties in six games. While he announced himself with a breathtaking 131 off 84 deliveries against Afghanistan, it was his 101-ball 87 in India's latest outing against England that highlighted why Rohit is easily the best white-ball opener in the World.
On a pitch where no other batters from both sides could muster up a half-century, Rohit paced his innings with delightful boundaries to propel India to a competitive 229. The star batter is the fourth leading run-scorer of the World Cup with 398 runs at an average of 66.33 and an intimidating strike rate of almost 120.
Partnering Rohit as the second opener will be Sri Lanka's latest batting sensation, Pathum Nissanka. While the selection could be a surprise considering Shubman Gill's year, the Indian opener has struggled thus far in the 2023 World Cup with only 104 runs in four innings.
Meanwhile, Nissanka has been a model of consistency in the Sri Lankan batting lineup with a string of half-centuries. Following a duck in their opening game against South Africa, the 25-year-old has scored four fifties and a 46 in his last five outings.
Although he has struggled to convert the starts into three-figure scores, Nissanka still boasts an impressive average of 57.80 at a strike rate of over 88. His 54 and 77* against the Netherlands and England were pivotal in Sri Lanka's only two wins of the World Cup.
Middle-order: Virat Kohli, Kusal Mendis, KL Rahul (wk) and Sadeera Samarawickrama
It is a no-brainer that India's premium batter Virat Kohli walks in at No.3, having been in a rich vein of form thus far in the World Cup.
Following a sensational 85 in a tricky run-chase against Australia to open his campaign, the champion batter essayed a breezy unbeaten 55 against Afghanistan.
However, the best of King Kohli was his 103* and 95 against Bangladesh and New Zealand to etch his name among the top run-getters of the tournament. With over 350 runs at an average of 88.50, the 34-year-old is on his way to having another stellar World Cup.
Sri Lanka's biggest match-winner with the bat, Kusal Mendis, comes in at No.4 on the back of his fireworks to begin the World Cup. Often flattering to deceive despite the apparent talent, the 28-year-old started the tournament with a bang, scoring a 42-ball 76 and a 77-ball 122 against South Africa and Pakistan.
Despite tapering off in his next three innings, Mendis regained his form during the 39 against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka's previous game. At an average of over 44 and a strike rate of 127, Mendis remains Sri Lanka's best bet with the bat to upstage India.
KL Rahul walks into the side at No.5, thanks to his consistent performances with the bat and behind the stumps in the World Cup. Following an impressive Asia Cup and Australia series, the 31-year-old played a match-winning knock against the Aussies in India's World Cup opener.
With the team in dire straits at 2/3 chasing 200 on a treacherous Chennai wicket, Rahul scored a brilliant unbeaten 97 to lead the Men in Blue to a six-wicket win.
Despite not getting as many opportunities with the bat, thanks to the form of the top-order batters, the wicket-keeper batter scored a crucial 27 in the run chase against the Kiwis. He also scored a defiant 39 that helped India recover from a dismal start in the victory over England.
Rahul has also been safe as houses behind the stumps with six catches and a stumping, swaying the role of the gloveman his way in this playing XI.
Rounding off the middle order will Sri Lanka's top-scorer of the ongoing World Cup, Sadeera Samarawickrama. The 28-year-old has been class personified, scoring 331 runs in six games at an average of 82.75 and a 104.41 strike rate, including some of the most delightful strokes.
His best moment of the tournament came in Sri Lanka's defeat to Pakistan, where he scored a towering 108 off 89 balls. Samarawickrama was also crucial in Sri Lanka's dual wins against the Netherlands and England, scoring 91* and 65*, respectively.
All-rounder: Ravindra Jadeja
With Hardik Pandya out with injury and Angelo Matthews just returning to the Sri Lankan side for the last couple of games, Ravindra Jadeja will be the lone all-rounder in the playing XI.
While his batting has predominantly not been required, the 34-year-old made a timely contribution of 39* to steer India in a tense run chase against New Zealand.
However, Jadeja has been at his miserly best with the ball, picking up eight wickets at an average of 25.75 and a terrific economy of under 3.80 per over.
His standout performance was the devastating spell of 3/28 against Australia, including the wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Jadeja also picked up two wickets each against Pakistan and Bangladesh to suffocate the batters in the middle overs.
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Dilshan Madushanka
While the batters hog the limelight in the subcontinent, it is the bowlers that often win matches, especially on flatter Indian wickets.
Team India has been fortunate to boast arguably the three best bowlers of the World Cup - Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Shami. Despite playing only two of India's six games, Shami has racked up nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul against New Zealand, followed by a four-fer against England.
Meanwhile, Bumrah has been at his imperious best, with 14 scalps in six games at an outstanding average of 15.07 and an economy under four an over. He is the third leading wicket-taker of the World Cup, behind only Shaheen Afridi and Adam Zampa.
Kuldeep has been the ideal complement to the pacers, with his mystery left-arm chinaman producing ten wickets at an excellent average of 26.10. He also bowled what many consider to be the ball of the tournament, bamboozling and dismissing England's skipper, Jos Buttler.
Sri Lankan left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka rounds off the combined playing XI thanks to his excellent new ball and death bowling prowess. Despite debuting in ODIs only this year, Madushanka has already become the go-to pacer in the Sri Lankan lineup, with 13 wickets in six games thus far in the World Cup.
The 23-year-old picked up the vital wickets of David Warner and Steve Smith in Sri Lanka's valiant defense of 209 against Australia. Madishanka also adds tremendous variety to an attack consisting of two right-arm pacers, a left-arm orthodox and chinaman spinner.
Combined India-Sri Lanka playing XI of 2023 World Cup
Rohit Sharma (c), Pathum Nissanka, Virat Kohli, Kusal Mendis, KL Rahul (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Dilshan Madushanka.