It is Sunday and the fourth T20I between India and Sri Lanka is set to be played with the series already pocketed by India, who have taken an unassailable 3–0 lead. Coming into this match, the obvious expectation is that India will now look at testing their bench strength. This is the phase where managements usually want to give players waiting on the sidelines a proper opportunity.
Players like G Kamalini are likely to come into the conversation and possibly into the playing XI. With two T20Is still to go before India travel to Australia for an all-format tour, followed by England for a limited-overs series, the T20 World Cup and the one-off Test at Lord’s, these remaining games become extremely important from a squad-depth perspective.
From a World Cup standpoint, this is precisely the window where India can assess their backups, combinations and flexibility within the squad. That is why it would not be surprising to see G Kamalini feature in this game.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have plenty to ponder. They have changed their playing XI in every game so far, including as many as three changes in the previous match. On this surface, playing with just one pacer seemed like a tactical error, and that is something they may look to correct tonight.
Key Players to Watch Out For
Smriti Mandhana: For India, Smriti Mandhana becomes a key player in this contest. A player of her calibre does not enjoy being out of form, and after quiet outings in the first three T20Is, she will be keen to play a more substantial innings. Expect her to spend more time at the crease and approach the spinners with greater caution, as spin has been her main area of concern in this series. This could well be the day Smriti announces herself in the series.
Deepti Sharma: Among the bowlers, Deepti Sharma is the standout. She is currently joint highest wicket-taker in women’s T20Is alongside Australia’s Megan Schutt, with 151 wickets. One more wicket will see Deepti move to the top outright. What makes her particularly valuable is her ability to bowl in all three phases of the innings.
India have experimented with Vaishnavi Sharma in the death overs, and she has done well so far. However, it would not be surprising if Deepti is tried at the death today as well, as India continue to test different options. Sneh Rana is another name that could come into the XI, adding another layer to India’s experimentation.
Hasini Perera: For Sri Lanka, options remain limited, but Hasini Perera showed encouraging signs in the previous game. Promoted to open alongside Chamari Athapaththu, her intent stood out. She took on the Indian bowlers and looked comfortable. Sri Lanka would want her to convert those promising starts into bigger scores, not 20s or 30s, but 40s and 50s, if they are to challenge India meaningfully.
Kaveesha Dilhari: Among the Sri Lankan bowlers, Kaveesha Dilhari impressed with her control, flight and courage to toss the ball up. Her wickets of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues were crucial. Even after Jemimah was dropped, Kaveesha came back strongly to dismiss her, maintaining discipline in line and length. She will once again be Sri Lanka’s key bowling threat.
Pitch
The pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium is a good-quality black soil surface, offering true bounce and making it a good wicket for batting. However, there is a hint of assistance for seamers under lights, which makes Sri Lanka’s decision to play just one pacer in the previous game difficult to understand.
Malki Madara bowled just two overs and conceded only 11 runs, highlighting how effective pace could be on this surface. The Indian batters handled the spinners far more comfortably, which further strengthens the case for Sri Lanka to bring in an additional pacer to support Madara.
Conditions-wise, despite it being December, the weather in Thiruvananthapuram remains hot and humid, almost summer-like, so dew will play a part under lights.
Probable Playing XI
India:
For India, two changes seem likely. Sneh Rana could come in for N Sree Charani, while G Kamalini may replace Richa Ghosh to give the youngster a chance. There is also a possibility of Harleen Deol coming in for Jemimah Rodrigues, but that appears less likely, especially given Jemimah’s uncharacteristic dismissal in the previous game.
Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, G Kamalini (wk), Deepti Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Goud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana.
Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka will almost certainly need to bring in an additional pacer, either Rashmika Sewandi or Kavisha Kavindi, in place of one of the spinners. Going in with just one seamer on this track would again be a risky move. Vishmi Gunaratne’s return seems unlikely, as Imesha Dulani showed promise in the last match.
Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Imesha Dulani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Kaveesha Dilhari, Inoka Ranaweera, Kawya Kavindi, Shashini Gimhani, Malki Madara.
Will India go 4–0 up, or can Sri Lanka finally put up a fight? That remains the big question heading into tonight’s game.
Also Read Shafali Verma 2.0: How Time Away, Temperament and Timing Are Redefining India’s Young Star
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