For India, the match presents an opportunity to strengthen their position in the group following a morale-boosting win against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are under pressure to win both of their remaining matches, having suffered early defeats to Pakistan and Australia. Their hopes of reaching the knockout stages now hang by a thread, making this contest a must-win.
Sri Lanka will be keen to replicate the success they found in their Asia Cup triumph over India just a few months ago. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and batter Harshitha Samarawickrama will need to find form after a quiet campaign so far.
With the stakes so high, Sri Lanka will need their top-order to deliver and provide the platform for a competitive total. The Indian bowlers, particularly spinners Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil, are expected to play a crucial role, especially on a track that could offer some assistance.
Early wickets will be key for India to keep Sri Lanka under control and prevent any major threats from their batting lineup.
For India, consistency will be essential as they look to avoid the errors that cost them in their previous defeat to New Zealand. Right-arm seamer Arundhati Reddy has emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong net run rate, which could be pivotal in determining semi-final spots.
With Australia looming as their final group-stage opponent, India will want to secure a comfortable win and boost their chances of advancing. Follow TimesofIndia.com for all the live updates from this exciting encounter!
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia (subject to fitness), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness), Sajana Sajeevan.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika de Silva, Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Sachini Nisansala, Vishmi Gunaratne, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana.
