India vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I Stats Preview: Players records and approaching milestones

After demolishing West Indies 6-0 in the ODIs and T20Is, Rohit Sharma and his team India welcome neighbors Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I and two-match Test series. The series begins with the T20I series starting from February 24, 2022, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The last two T20Is will be played on February 26 and 27 at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium in Dharamshala.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have been rested for the T20I series with KL Rahul already out of the series due to an injury. Batter Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Chahar will also miss the T20Is due to their respective injuries as the matches present opportunities for some of the other players who have been warming the bench for some time now. Rohit Sharma is likely to continue opening alongside Ishan Kishan at least for the first T20I in Lucknow.

Jasprit Bumrah is back after missing the limited-overs series against West Indies with the selectors also naming Sanju Samson in the squad for the T20 internationals. The visitors suffered a huge blow before the start of the series as their new sensation legspinner Waninidu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the games after being tested for Covid-19. The Lankan Lions suffered a torrid time in Australia as they suffered a 4-1 loss in the T20I series down under which ended on February 20, 2022. Both teams will continue to get their playing XI and combinations right with one eye on the T20 World Cup which is set to be held in October this year in Australia.

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers ahead of India vs Sri Lanka, 1^st T20I:

Head-to-Head: India and Sri Lanka have met each other in 22 T20Is with India winning 14, losing seven, and one game had no result. In India, both have clashed in 11 T20Is with India emerging victorious on eight occasions, losing twice and one match had no result. India has played only one T20I in Lucknow against West Indies in 2018 which they won by 71 runs as Rohit Sharma struck an unbeaten century.

10 – Rohit Sharma (290) needs ten fours to reach 300 fours in T20Is.

4 – Pathum Nissanka (46) requires four fours to complete 50 fours in T20Is.

37 – Sharma (3263) needs 37 runs to surpass Martin Guptill (3299) and become the highest run-scorer in T20Is.

4 – Ravindra Jadeja (46) requires four wickets to complete 50 wickets in T20Is.

1 – Bhuvneshwar Kumar (199) is one game away from completing 200 matches across formats.

43 – Kusal Mendis (5957) needs 43 runs to complete 6000 runs across formats.

14 – Nissanka (486) needs 14 runs to complete 500 runs in T20Is.

5 – Dushmantha Chameera (45) requires five wickets to reach 50 wickets in T20Is.

5 – Dinesh Chandimal (795) requires five fours to complete 800 fours in international cricket.

34 – Sharma (3263) also needs 34 runs to go past Virat Kohli (3296) and become the highest run-getter for India in T20Is.

27 – Dinesh Chandimal (1021) is 27 runs away from surpassing Thisara Perara (1047) and becoming the sixth-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in T20Is.