'There's no hiding from India's bowling...': SL head coach says 'any team would want' Bumrah, Shami, Kuldeep

Ahead of their match, Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood hailed India's bowling unit. Both sides take on each other on Thursday, in Mumbai.

With three more fixtures remaining in their 2023 World Cup league phase, unbeaten India take on Sri Lanka in ODI 33, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. India are the favourites in this match and are expected to extend their unbeaten run in this tournament. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will be battling for survival at the stadium, where both sides return 12 years after the epic final in which MS Dhoni won the 2011 final for the home side. (IND vs SL Live Score and Latest Updates)

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav are in hot form.

India are currently in second position, level in points with table-toppers South Africa, but also have a game in hand. A win against Sri Lanka will send them to pole position in the standings. Both sides have faced each other in nine ODI World Cup matches, and they have claimed four wins each. Meanwhile, one match ended without a result. Overall, they have faced each other in 167 ODIs, with India leading 98-57, and 11 fixtures have ended without a result, one game ending tied.

Speaking ahead of the match, Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood pointed India's strength in their bowling unit, claiming that any team 'would want an attack like that'. In the ongoing tournament, Jasprit Bumrah has taken 14 wickets for India, followed by Kuldeep Yadav (10), Mohammed Shami (9) and Ravindra Jadeja (8). "If you look at that bowling attack and you watch them operate, it is a very strong bowling attack. I think any team in the world would want an attack like that, to be honest," he said.

"But we see that as a great challenge for our guys. We see it as an opportunity to go out and play against the best and see, I mean, pit ourselves against that. But there is no hiding it is a very good bowling attack," he further added.

Silverwood will also be hoping that Sri Lanka's defeat against India at the Asia Cup 2023 final will serve as motivation for his side. India won the final by 10 wickets, registering a dominating win. Chasing 51 runs, India reached 51/0 in 6.1 overs, as openers Shubman Gill (27*) and Ishan Kishan (23*) remained unbeaten. Initially, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 off 15.2 overs. For India's bowling department, Mohammed Siraj took a six-wicket haul and Hardik Pandya scalped three dismissals.

"I'd rather hope that the defeat in the Asia Cup would give more motivation to the boys to come out and obviously fight tomorrow, show plenty of spirit and get stuck in to the Indian side. They're a very good side, we know that, we've seen them play some superb cricket this tournament so far. But I think it's a good opportunity for our boys to show what they're made of as well. So hopefully, the defeat in the Asia Cup will give motivation to the boys," he stated.

For the upcoming match, India will once again be without star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who hurt his ankle against Bangladesh. All eyes will be on captain Rohit Sharma, who will be expected to stitch together another win for India.