Odds stacked against Sri Lanka at Dambulla but World Cup qualification on the horizon

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  • Upul Tharanga takes charge for his first full series as ODI captain.

    Upul Tharanga’s first full series as the ODI captain of Sri Lanka will get underway on Sunday when the hosts take on India in the first of the five-match series at Dambulla.

    Virat Kohli’s men will undoubtedly be the favourites against the eighth-ranked Sri Lankans after sweeping the Test Series in style.

    The islanders, meanwhile, will be looking to secure their direct qualification for the 2019 ICC World Cup. Sri Lanka, with 88 points, currently lie ahead of the ninth-ranked West Indies, who have 78 points.

    Come the September 30 cut-off date, the top seven sides along with hosts England will gain direct qualification for the global tournament in 2019 while the remaining sides will battle out for the last two spots in a qualifier.

    The hosts need two victories against the Indians in the series to reach 90 points which would take them beyond the reach of the West Indies team currently touring England.

    If Sri Lanka manage just one win in the series then it gives a chance to Jason Holder’s men to catch up provided they win all the five fixtures coming up against England as well as one solitary match against Ireland.

    Sri Lanka did manage to beat India in their Champions Trophy encounter.

    Sri Lanka did manage to beat India in their Champions Trophy encounter.

    India on the other hand will have no such concerns as they sit pretty in third spot in the ICC rankings table as of now. The visitors have been in fine knick in the limited-overs format with series victories over England, New Zealand, West Indies and Zimbabwe in the last year and a half.

    They were looking mighty impressive in the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this summer before coming undone against arch-rivals Pakistan in the final.

    Tharanga’s men meanwhile were upset 3-2 by 11th ranked Zimbabwe in the five-match ODI series at home against the African nation in their last limited-overs tryst.

    Their form at home prior to the visit of Zimbabwe is not promising either after being held to a 1-1 draw by Bangladesh at the start of 2017 and being handed a 4-1 drubbing by the Aussies in August last year.

    Dhoni's men won the 2012 series 4-1.

    Dhoni’s men won the 2012 series 4-1.

    They can, however, take solace in the fact that they beat the Indians in their Champions Trophy group-stage encounter at the Oval.

    Sri Lanka chased down India’s 322 quite comfortably in the end, winning the match by seven wickets after fine performances from Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka.

    The last time the Indians played a full ODI series in Sri Lanka was in 2012 when MS Dhoni’s men ran out comfortable 4-1 victors.

    The odds remain stacked against Sri Lanka going into the Dambulla game but if they can secure their World Cup qualification in the process, they will think that they have done quite well.

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