It is a great rivalry between two cricketing nations and an iconic image of two incredibly passionate cricket-playing countries. When it comes to Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals for India and Sri Lanka, crowds get ready for some heated fights.
This rivalry proved always to be a balanced one and both sides emerged winners at different times in different seasons. India has been superior to Sri Lanka on many occasions because of the broad talent pool and stronger players, however, Sri Lankans have made many heroic comebacks. The rivalry between India and Sri Lanka has been a special one over the years and this article takes a look back at the history of this contest along with a look at one of the greatest matches through scorecards and performances.
Historical Background: From Friendship to Enmity – A Cricketing Friendship Turned Rivalry
India and Sri Lanka have always shared a common history in their formative years of cricket as a discipline. India has had a cricketing tradition since the early 1930s and Sri Lanka found their bearings at the Test level only back in 1982. First, it was a one-sided affair where India was the clear winner, however, Sri Lanka became much more competitive in the last decade, especially in the nineties and early this century.
This rivalry, despite the features of bitter competition, has been characterized by the respect of the two teams for each other. That said, the competitive nature of the matches has never been in doubt, more so in both the ICC tournaments and bilateral series.
Iconic India vs Sri Lanka Matches: Historical Relations: A Review
There have been some great contests ever since the two sides came to confront each other regularly in all formats of the game though few choices immediately leap to mind also due to breathtaking moments which cricket has witnessed then. Here are some of these encounters in detail.
1. 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup Semi-final: A Controversial Finish
India Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup 1996 semi-final match at Eden Garden Kolkata is one of the famous cricket matches between two teams. This match is best remembered for an exciting and rain-affected final over which Sri Lankan qualified for their first-ever World Cup final.
Match Summary: Sri Lanka won the toss and after scoring 251/8 in 50 overs Aravinda de Silva’s strokeful 66 and the middle order helped the total. India, batting outright on a difficult wicket to achieve a competitive score, began well but lost way after the wicket of their mainstay of the scenic innings of 65, Sachin Tendulkar.
The slump meant India lost the last seven wickets for only 22 runs; in the lowly position of 120 for 8. Hetmyer soon stepped up and cleared the rope for a six, the crowd at Eden Gardens displeased with India’s performance started smashing things and threw objects onto the field. Because of the hostile crowd conduct, match referee Clive Lloyd declared the game in favor of Sri Lankan raising to prominence that few games were ever given due to crowd disturbances.
Scorecard Highlights:
- Sri Lanka: 251/8 (50 overs)
- Aravinda de Silva (66), Roshan Mahanama (58)
- Anil Kumble (2/45), Javagal Srinath (2/34)
- India: 120/8 (34.1 overs, match awarded to Sri Lanka)
- Sachin Tendulkar (65), Sanjay Manjrekar (25)
- Muttiah Muralitharan (1/31), Chaminda Vaas (2/35)
This match remains one of the most heartbreaking moments for Indian cricket fans, while it signified Sri Lanka’s rise as a dominant force in world cricket, culminating in their eventual World Cup triumph in 1996.
2. The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy Final: Shared Glory
The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy final, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, ended unusually with both teams sharing the title. The match, held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, was interrupted by rain on two consecutive days, leading to no result being declared despite Sri Lanka having the upper hand in both innings.
Match Summary: On both the scheduled day and the reserve day, rain played spoilsport, and despite some cricket being played, the final was abandoned. Sri Lanka, batting first, posted 222/7 in their 50 overs, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring a fine 77 and Kumar Sangakkara adding 54. India’s chase began, but rain interrupted play after they had reached 38/1 in 8.4 overs. As a result, both teams were declared joint winners, marking the first time a major ICC trophy was shared.
Scorecard Highlights:
- Sri Lanka: 222/7 (50 overs)
- Mahela Jayawardene (77), Kumar Sangakkara (54)
- Anil Kumble (3/40), Javagal Srinath (2/40)
- India: 38/1 (8.4 overs, match abandoned)
- Virender Sehwag (25*), Sourav Ganguly (0)
- Chaminda Vaas (1/13)
Although the match ended without a result, it remains an iconic chapter in the India-Sri Lanka rivalry, with both teams walking away as co-champions.
3. 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Final: India’s Glory at Home
Arguably the most significant match in the India-Sri Lanka rivalry took place on April 2, 2011, when the two teams faced off in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This high-stakes game remains one of the most-watched and celebrated cricket matches in history, as India lifted their second World Cup after a 28-year-long wait.
Match Summary: Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first, posting a competitive total of 274/6, led by a majestic century from Mahela Jayawardene (103*). India’s chase began poorly, losing key openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early, but Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS Dhoni (91*) anchored the innings with a stellar partnership.
Dhoni’s unforgettable six to seal the victory remains one of the defining images of Indian cricket. India chased down the target with 10 balls to spare, winning by six wickets, and became the first team to win a World Cup on home soil.
Scorecard Highlights:
- Sri Lanka: 274/6 (50 overs)
- Mahela Jayawardene (103*), Kumar Sangakkara (48)
- Zaheer Khan (2/60), Yuvraj Singh (2/49)
- India: 277/4 (48.2 overs)
- Gautam Gambhir (97), MS Dhoni (91*)
- Lasith Malinga (2/42), Nuwan Kulasekara (1/64)
This victory solidified India’s place in cricketing history, while Sri Lanka’s valiant effort in reaching back-to-back World Cup finals earned them immense respect.
4. 2017 Nidahas Trophy Final: The Last-ball Thriller
The Nidahas Trophy 2017, held to celebrate Sri Lanka’s 70th year of independence, saw India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh compete in a T20I tri-series. The final between India and Sri Lanka was a thrilling contest that went down to the last ball, with India emerging victorious in dramatic fashion.
Match Summary: Sri Lanka posted 174/7 in their 20 overs, with Kusal Perera top-scoring with 66. India’s chase was led by Rohit Sharma (56) and KL Rahul (55), but it was Dinesh Karthik who stole the show with an incredible knock of 29* off just 8 balls. India needed 5 runs off the last ball, and Karthik smashed a six-over extra cover to seal an unbelievable victory for India.
Scorecard Highlights:
- Sri Lanka: 174/7 (20 overs)
- Kusal Perera (66), Upul Tharanga (32)
- Yuzvendra Chahal (2/35), Jaydev Unadkat (1/33)
- India: 176/6 (20 overs)
- Rohit Sharma (56), KL Rahul (55), Dinesh Karthik (29* off 8 balls)
- Thisara Perera (3/45), Akila Dananjaya (2/38)
Karthik’s last-ball heroics turned this match into one of the most thrilling T20I finals in cricket history and further intensified the India-Sri Lanka rivalry.
5. 2023 Asia Cup Final: India’s Comprehensive Victory
The most recent chapter in the India-Sri Lanka rivalry came during the 2023 Asia Cup final, held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India completely outplayed Sri Lanka to secure a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title.
Match Summary: Sri Lanka, opting to bat first, were bundled out for just 50 runs in 15.2 overs. Mohammed Siraj’s devastating spell saw him take 6 wickets for just 21 runs, reducing Sri Lanka’s batting lineup to rubble. In response, India chased.
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