As India host Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, we take a look at some of the key numbers from the previous encounters between the two sides in the format:
Head to head record
India and Sri Lanka have met each other in 16 T20Is till date with the former winning 11 and the latter winning only five. Eight of those 16 matches have been played in India with the hosts winning six and Sri Lanka getting the better of India only twice.
Last five T20Is
As far as the last five T20Is are concerned, India enjoys the upper hand over Sri Lanka once again. The Lankans have won only once whereas India has aced four of their last five T20Is against them. India’s only loss during this stretch came at Colombo in 2018 when Sri Lanka defeated them by five wickets.
Highest Team Total
The highest team total ever recorded in an India-Sri Lanka T20I encounter is 260/5 by India at Indore in 2017. India won that match by a huge margin of 88 runs and thus, took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Lowest Team Total
The lowest team total ever recorded in an India-Sri Lanka T20I encounter is by Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam in 2016. They were bowled out for a paltry total of 82 runs while batting first and India chased the target down comfortably with nine wickets and 37 deliveries to spare. It was the final match of the series and India won it by a 2-1 margin.
Most runs
Rohit Sharma holds the record for most runs in India-Sri Lanka T20I encounters. He has 289 runs to his name in 13 innings at an average of 22.23. However, he has been rested from this series and that gives the Indian skipper Virat Kohli a good chance to claim that record as well as he is just six runs shy of Rohit’s tally. Moreover, Kohli has accumulated his 283 runs in just four innings against Sri Lanka and that too, at a scintillating average of 94.33.
Highest Individual Score
It is Rohit Sharma again who holds the record for the highest individual score in T20Is between India and Sri Lanka. Rohit has a best score of 118 to his name which came of just 43 deliveries during India’s record total of 260/5 at Indore in 2017.
Most wickets
Yuzvendra Chahal has taken the most wickets in T20Is between the two sides till date. Chahal has taken 14 wickets in five T20Is against Sri Lanka so far at an excellent average and strike-rate of 13.50 and 8.5 respectively. That includes two four-wicket hauls and best bowling figures of 4 for 23.
Best Individual Bowling figures
Ravichandran Ashwin’s 4 for 8 in 2016 at Visakhapatnam is the best bowling figure ever recorded in T20Is between India and Sri Lanka. He ran through Sri Lanka’s top-order by claiming the wickets of Niroshan Dickwella, Tilakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Chandimal and Asela Gunaratne. As a result, Sri Lanka recorded their lowest total of 82 in T20Is against India and went on to lose the match by nine wickets later.