ZCZC
BSP-18
CRICKET-IND-SRI-TOSS
India win toss, opt to bowl in first Sri Lanka T20
GUWAHATI, India, Jan 5, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Rain delayed the start after
India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl in the opening
Twenty20 international against India in Guwahati on Sunday.
Fit-again paceman Jasprit Bumrah returns to the team at the start of the
three-match series after recovering from his stress fracture of the back.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan also returns from injury to partner KL Rahul in the
absence of the rested Rohit Sharma.
Kohli said the team is keen to focus on the shortest format with the T20
World Cup scheduled in Australia later this year.
“The last time we played here, we chased well… The track does play
differently in the second half as compared to the first part,” Kohli said at
the toss.
“Last year was outstanding for us in two formats (Tests and ODIs), T20s
not so much. We have World Cup to look forward to, so we can primarily focus
on one format.”
Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga is playing three fast bowlers and two
spinners as his team looks to finalise its squad for the T20 World Cup.
“Happy to bat first. Don’t think the track will change too much,” said
Malinga.
“We have brought 16 players as we need to fine-tune our combination for
the World Cup… Need five genuine bowlers to put pressure on India.”
Teams
India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh
Pant, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep
Saini, Jasprit Bumrah
Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga (capt), Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando,
Kusal Perera, Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun
Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara
Umpires: Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND), Nitin Menon (IND)
TV umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
BSS/AFP/BZC/1945HRS