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India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s absence from their upcoming ICC World Cup match against Sri Lanka that takes place in Mumbai on Thursday.
World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table
India and Sri Lanka return to the venue of the epic 2011 World Cup final which the Men in Blue ended up winning in style by six wickets to win only their second 50-over world title. In Thursday’s showdown, Team India will aim to seal their semi-final spot with a victory over their neighbours.
Pandya, meanwhile, is set to miss a third game in a row due to the ligament tear that he had suffered in the match against Bangladesh in Pune, meaning India will continue with the tried-and-tested combination that has Suryakumar Yadav in the middle-order and Mohammed Shami in the attack.
“Hardik Pandya unavailable for tomorrow’s match. It’s the kind of injury where we are monitoring him on day to day basis. Hopefully he will be back soon,” Rohit told repoters on the eve of the match at the Wankhede Stadium.
World Cup Scenarios | Will India qualify for semis if they beat Sri Lanka?
India have won all six of their matches so far, including a 100-run victory against England in Lucknow on Sunday, and a victory on Thursday should all but confirm their place in the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are staring at an early flight back home after their seven-wicket defeat against Afghanistan in Pune, and will not only need to win each of their three remaining matches but also hope other results go their way.
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