India’s loss to Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup semi-final marked the beginning of an intense rivalry between the two Asian neighbours. Sri Lanka, considered minnows at that time, went on to win their maiden World Cup.
India, however, have historically dominated the Lankan Lions across different formats.
Since the turn of the 20th century, India and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 26 Tests, 100 ODIs and 26 T20Is - accounting for 152 international matches. This is the most India have faced a team in this time period after Australia (158 international matches).
In the shortest T20 format, India and Sri Lanka locked horns for the first time in 2009, with India emerging victorious over Sri Lanka by three wickets in Colombo. India, who won the T20 World Cup in 2007, have held the upper hand since then in T20 Internationals (T20Is) against the Lankans.
However, Sri Lanka do hold the bragging rights as they defeated India in the 2014 T20 World Cup final in Dhaka by six wickets, the most high-stake meeting between these two sides in the format.
India vs Sri Lanka T20I head-to-head
|
Matches |
India won |
Sri Lanka won |
Tied/No result |
|
29 |
19 |
9 |
1 |
India vs Sri Lanka T20I records
Most runs
Dasun Shanaka holds the record for the most runs scored in T20Is between India and Sri Lanka. The Lankan all-rounder has played 22 matches against them, scoring 430 runs at a strike rate of 140.98. His tally includes two half-centuries.
Most wickets
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has picked up 23 wickets in 13 matches against Sri Lanka, the highest for any bowler in this duel. He maintains a terrific average of 17.34 and an economy just above eight (8.48).
Highest individual score
Rohit Sharma is the only batter to score a century in an India vs Sri Lanka T20I match. In the second match of the bilateral T20I series in 2017, Rohit Sharma got to the 100 run-mark in 35 balls, the joint-fastest in T20I history, and finished with 118 off 43 balls. His explosive innings in Indore included 12 fours and 10 sixes.
Best bowling figures
Indian mystery spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s majestic spell of 4/8 in Visakhapatnam, 2016, got the Lankan batters bowled out for just 82 runs in 18 overs. Ashwin bowled with the new ball and dismissed Sri Lanka’s top four batters, also registering a wicket-maiden in the process.
Highest team total
Powered by a terrific century from Rohit Sharma, India smashed 260/7 in 20 overs against Sri Lanka in Indore, 2017. It was the same match which saw Rohit Sharma hit a fluent century. This is the highest team total registered in a T20I match between these two teams and also India’s highest team score in the shortest format.
Lowest team total
In 2021, Sri Lanka restricted India to 81/8 in 20 overs batting first in Colombo. Wanindu Hasaranga was the destroyer-in-chief for the hosting nation, who returned with figures of 4/9 in four overs and skipper Dasun Shanaka picked up two wickets as well. This is the lowest total in an India vs Sri Lanka T20I match.
Highest partnership
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, en route to registering India’s highest-ever T20I total in Indore, added 165 runs together for the opening wicket. This is the highest partnership in a T20I match between these two countries.
