Chandika Hathurusingha feels India are the favourties to win the Nidahas Trophy

The Nidahas Trophy is scheduled to begin from 6th March, and the Indian team is preparing for their next assignment. After enjoying a successful limited-overs series in South Africa, the Indian cricket team will be looking forward to having a successful tri-series.

The series will be a T20I tri-series which will be hosted by Sri Lanka and the other two teams will India and Bangladesh.

All the three teams will play each other twice with the top two teams playing each other again in the final.

The series is being played to mark Sri Lanka’s 70 years of independence. All the matches of the series will be at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The new look Indian cricket team with new faces left for Sri Lanka on Sunday for the upcoming Nidahas Trophy 2018. Rohit Sharma’s men will face hosts Sri Lanka in the opening game on March 6.

However, Sri Lanka’s coach Chandika Hathurusingha feels that the Indian team is the favourite to win the tri-series despite the top stars missing out.

He said:

“If you go by the ratings, India is the no. 1 team, so they always start ahead of the other teams. Whoever comes for India is a very strong team. We have to start well because we haven’t been doing well at home. With Bangladesh, because of the last series, we probably have a little edge over them mentally. But still India is the no. 1 team.”

The Sri Lankan team is coming in the series on the back of another tri-series win in Bangladesh. Hathrusingha said that the win had given the team some momentum for the upcoming matches.

He added:

“It will help if we start well again. Bangladesh series is in the past. Whether we bat or bowl, I reiterate we need to start well. That would help us to get the momentum in this tournament.”

Hathurusingha also claimed that Lasith Malinga is very much in Sri Lanka’s plans and compared him to basketball superstar Michael Jordan.

“Lasith is a wonderful player – someone who has a global reputation, not just in Sri Lanka. I think he’s an icon player for the game. Like in basketball they have Michael Jordan, and Malinga is that with cricket. Regarding form, he has done well in the recent past. I can’t talk about what was talked about in the selectors’ meeting, but I think he can contribute to Sri Lankan cricket in the future.”

Here’s the news feed:

New Look Team India leaves for Sri Lanka for Nidahas Trophy 2018

Early Selection Behind Mayank Agarwal’s Non-Inclusion For Nidahas Trophy