India will look to shake off the effects of a rain-hit week when they take on Sri Lanka in the second semifinal of the men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games on Thursday.
The defending champions arrived in Japan with a full-strength T20I squad and a clear objective of retaining their gold medal. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have brought a second-string side led by Sahan Arachchige, who returns as captain after leading the team at the 2023 Asian Games.
Both teams reached the semifinals without playing a quarterfinal. Their respective matches were washed out, with the higher-ranked sides progressing automatically. That has left India with limited competitive cricket in unfamiliar conditions.
Rain has disrupted India’s campaign
India have played only 10 overs of competitive cricket since arriving in Japan. Their group-stage game against Japan was heavily affected by the weather, although India eventually came through after being given a scare by the hosts.
That game at Sano at least gave India some exposure to the local conditions. The other semifinalists have not had even that advantage.
The lack of game time could make the opening stages against Sri Lanka particularly important. India will need to settle quickly on a surface expected to be slow and spin-friendly, with several days of rain potentially making both the pitch and outfield heavier.
The weather forecast is more encouraging for Thursday, with only a 10% chance of rain.
IND vs SL: Sri Lanka looking to spring another surprise
Sri Lanka enter the semifinal as the less experienced side on paper, but they have reasons to believe they can make India work for a place in the final.
Arachchige, who played his only T20I as captain during Sri Lanka’s defeat to Afghanistan at the 2023 Asian Games, leads a squad that shares similarities with the side that competed in the previous edition.
Japan’s performance against India will also serve as a reminder that conditions can narrow the gap between the teams. The hosts came close to producing a major upset against India in Sano, exposing the potential difficulties of adapting to unfamiliar surroundings.
Sri Lanka will hope to exploit those same conditions with their spin options and put pressure on an Indian batting line-up that has had little time in the middle.
IND vs SL: India’s recent turnaround
India’s current campaign comes after a difficult period following the World Cup. Shreyas Iyer’s tenure as captain began with series defeats against Ireland and England, but the team responded with convincing series wins over Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
The Asian Games now offer India another opportunity to add a gold medal to their recent run of improvement.
Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return to the XI after being rested against Japan. His return would add experience to an attack that could have a significant role to play on a slow surface.
Sanju Samson is also expected to keep wicket, with Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Iyer forming part of a strong top order.
Conditions could shape the contest
The group-stage matches at Korogi Sports Park have indicated that batting may not be straightforward. The surface has tended to slow down, bringing spinners into the game, while the recent rain could make stroke-making and running between the wickets more demanding.
For India, the immediate challenge is therefore not simply beating Sri Lanka. It is getting back into competitive mode after a disrupted week.
“We have been doing some team activities. We were having constant meetings to switch on the players when it is required,” Samson said.
“These are the times where we need to be a bit more aware. We need to switch on and suddenly play a big semi-final.”
India will advance to the final if the semifinal is washed out, but they will be keen to settle the contest on the field and build some much-needed momentum before the gold-medal match.
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