Team India has landed in Sri Lanka to feature in the ongoing Asia Cup as they are scheduled to face Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele. The Men in Blue will then lock horns against debutants Nepal who lost their opening game to Pakistan by a huge 238 runs in Multan on September 4. Interestingly, the first-choice Indian players have travelled to Sri Lanka for the first time since 2017. India toured the island nation in 2021 but a second-string team led by Shikhar Dhawan was sent as the series directly clashed with the team's England tour.
Coming back to Asia Cup, India will play their group stage matches in Pallekele before shifting to Colombo where most of the Super Fours matches will take place. India, if they qualify, will play all their three matches of the next round at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Overall, India has played a staggering 89 ODIs from 1985 winning 45 of them and lost 35 matches. Against Sri Lanka, they played a total of 64 matches in the island nation and won 30 while losing 28 ODIs.
Let us look at India's record in detail in Pallekele and Colombo:
India have played three ODIs in Pallekele so far but last played at the venue back in 2017. They have won all three matches, once while batting first and twice chasing. The venue brings back good memories for key India players Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. While the current India skipper scored 54 and 124* in the last two outings in 2017 at the venue while Bumrah returned with a stunning nine wickets in two matches he played in 2017 here.
India's ODI record in Pallekele
Played - 3
Won - 3
Lost - 0
High Score - 294/7
Best Batter - Rohit Sharma (178 runs in two matches)
Best Bowler - Jasprit Bumrah (nine wickets in two matches)
When it comes to R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, India have played a staggering 46 ODIs and won 23 while losing 19 matches. Four matches ended in No Result. India and Pakistan will most likely face each other at this venue on September 10. At this venue, the arch-rivals have faced only once, way back in 2004 and India had lost the match by 59 runs while chasing 301 runs. India last played here back in 2021 under Dhawan's leadership and won two out of three ODIs. Last time Virat Kohli batted at the venue, he returned with scores of 131 and 110* while Rohit came up with scores of 104 and 16.
India's ODI record at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Played - 46
Won - 23
Lost - 19
High Score - 375/5
