Sri Lanka opt to bowl in first T20 against India

Pune - The visiting Sri Lankans won the toss and decided to bowl in the first Twenty20 international against India at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.

India skipper Mahindra Singh Dhoni's side, looking to cement top spot in the T20 rankings after a recent 3-0 clean sweep over Australia, brought in Ajinkya Rahane for star batsman Virat Kohli, who is being rested for the series.

They are facing a depleted Sri Lankan side which has left big names, including regular T20 captain Lasith Malinga, Test captain Angelo Mathews and premier spinner Rangana Herath, back home to recover from injury niggles.

The three-match series is seen as a final tune-up before both sides compete in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and the World Twenty 20 which India is hosting in March and April.

Teams

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra.

Sri Lanka: MD Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Seekkuge Prasanna, TAM Siriwardana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilhara Fernando, Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Kasun Rajitha, MD Shanaka.

Umpires: Vineet Kulkarni (IND), CK Nandan (IND)

TV umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)