Nidahas Trophy 2018: India looks to avenge opening match loss

Colombo: The Indian cricket team is all set to face the hosts Sri Lanka on Monday for the fourth match at R Premadasa Stadium, while Sri Lanka will try to confirm its seat in the final. After suffering a loss in the first match of the Nidahas Trophy to the hosts Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket team bounced back to comfortably defeat Bangladesh in the 2nd match of the tournament. 

In the current Twenty20 triangular trophy, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh have registered one win each and all the teams are on an equal footing. India lost to Sri Lanka in their first match by five wickets but in the second match, they defeated Bangladesh by six wickets and kept themselves in the limelight.

At the same time, Sri Lanka suffered a stunning five-wicket defeat from Bangladesh in the last match, due to which they missed a chance to play in the final. In Monday's match, both teams now have the equal chance to secure a place in the final. However, the young team captain Rohit Sharma will certainly take lessons from the previous mistakes and expected to return to the track and pay back the replay of the previous defeat.Sri Lanka in their opening match, chased a huge target of 175 runs from the Indian team. Shikhar Dhawan was the top scorer with 90 runs and the batsmen scored a challenging score but the bowlers failed to defend big scores. 

Medium pacer Shardul Thakur proved to be the most expensive by giving 42 runs in 3.3 overs.As far as the venue is concerned, India has claimed victory in seven of their nine outings at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have a dismal record at their home ground in Colombo, winning just three out of the sixteen matches they have played. 

The Indian team has also understood by considering their opponents weak, but at the same time, they have to improve considerably in the bowling department. Yuzvendra Chahal, the reliable spinner of the team got two wickets for 37 runs in the opening match against Sri Lanka and the 18-year-old young spinner, Washington, were pretty successful with two wickets for 28 runs.

Against Bangladesh, Jaydev Unadkat impressed with three wickets for 38 runs, while Vijay Shankar also took two wickets.The fourth T20I of the tournament between India and Sri Lanka will take place in Colombo once again. The hosts, who ended a run of seven defeats against India, will look to upset them once again. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma's men will look to avenge their loss and come out victorious this time around.(UNI)