The Big Picture

Team India will square off against fellow neighbors Sri Lanka in their final round-robin game of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup at Headingley on Saturday.

A lot has happened since these two sides' last met in the finals of the 2011 World Cup. India's rise to the top has coincided with the subsequent decline of Sri Lankan cricket. And, so if you had followed Indo-Lanka World Cup rivalry over the years, it is probably for the first time since 1996, that the result is being assumed as a foregone conclusion in favor of the Men in Blue.

But, you can't take any team and especially Sri Lanka lightly in an ICC event. Especially when you have to win your last game in a bid to give yourself the best possible chance to finish at the top of the points table. The loss against England has jeopardized India's chances of finishing at the top of the points table. The Men in Blue need to beat Sri Lanka in their final league match and will have to hope that the Aussies lose to the Proteas in their last game.

The game also offers India an opportunity to finetune the possible chinks in their playing 11. Will we see DK continue to bat at 7? Or will Ravindra Jadeja make his 2019 World Cup debut at Headingley? Will Kohli persist with three seamers and one specialist spinner like he did against Bangladesh? Or will he return to the same 2+2+ Hardik Pandya template?

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will look to cap-off their tournament on a high and will also look to possibly spoil India's plans of topping the points table.

 Match Details

• Venue- Headingley, Leeds
• Match Timing- Saturday, July 06, 2019, 03:00 PM IST

What to expect?

England was unable to chase down a modest target of 230 odd against Sri Lanka at this venue ten days ago. The pitch showed signs of slowing down in the second half and as has been the trend throughout this tournament, the team winning the toss and batting first will have a distinct advantage.

Do you know?

• 4-3- Sri Lanka's World Cup record against India.
• The last time these two sides met in a World Cup encounter was in 2011 final.
• India has won the last eight of the ten ODIs played between two sides.
• Jasprit Bumrah is one wicket away from completing 100 ODI wickets.

Probable Playing 11-

India-

Rohit, Rahul, Virat (c), Pant, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, DK/Jadeja, Bhuvi/Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Shami

Sri Lanka-

Karunaratne (c), Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Mendis, Matthews, Thiramanne, Udana, de Silva, Vandersay, Rajitha, Malinga