The following tables show the record between the two teams. It shows how, when and where the teams have succeeded/failed. This would give a clear indication of the overall strengths/weaknesses of the teams when playing versus each other.

When India           Matches    Won   Lost  NR   Td   Success %

Batted first            29      18    15     0    0   52.00
Batted last             30      19    10     1    0   65.52

Conclusion: India has been more successful chasing targets against Sri Lanka rather than setting them.

Won the Toss            33      18    15     0    0   54.55
Lost the Toss           26      14     7     5    0   66.67

Conclusion: Azhar is better off losing the toss!

Record in each country

India have lost the only match played between the two teams in England, two decades ago, way back in the 1979 World Cup.

Singapore                   1    1    0    0    0  100.00
UAE                         9    8    1    0    0   88.89
Ind                        26   17    8    1    0   68.00
Ban                         2    1    1    0    0   50.00
SL                         19    5   11    3    0   31.25
Aus                         1    0    0    1    0    0.00
Eng                         1    0    1    0    0    0.00

Record in each season

1979                     1       0    1    0    0    0.00
1982-83                  3       3    0    0    0  100.00
1983-84                  1       1    0    0    0  100.00
1985-86                  4       2    1    1    0   66.67
1986-87                  6       5    1    0    0   83.33
1987-88                  1       1    0    0    0  100.00
1988-89                  2       1    1    0    0   50.00
1989-90                  2       1    1    0    0   50.00
1990-91                  5       3    2    0    0   60.00
1991-92                  1       0    0    1    0    0.00
1993-94                  7       4    3    0    0   57.14
1994-95                  5       3    1    1    0   75.00
1995-96                  3       1    2    0    0   33.33
1996-97                  2       0    2    0    0    0.00
1997-98                 12       3    7    2    0   30.00
1998-99                  4       4    0    0    0  100.00

TOTAL                   59      32    22     5    0   59.26

The Captains against the other team

Azharuddin has won more matches for India against Sri Lanka in terms of percentage as compared to Ranatunga's record against India:

Toss

M Azharuddin            28      16    10     2    0   61.54     14
A Ranatunga             42      19    20     3    0   48.72     18

A summary of the last ten matches between the teams

India have had the upper hand over the last few matches. Of the last ten matches played between the two teams, India have won 7, lost just 2 and 1 was abandoned. In fact, India have won the last 5 matches against Sri Lanka and have not lost to Sri Lanka in the last 10 months.

Ground       Date        Won  By        T B Ind Score   SL Score

Gauhati      22 Dec 1997 Ind  7  Wkts   W L 173- 3 37.5 172- 9 45.0
Indore       25 Dec 1997 NR             L L   0- 0  0.0  17- 1  3.0
Margao       28 Dec 1997 SL   5  Wkts   W F 228- 6 50.0 229- 5 48.2
Colombo (3)  19 Jun 1998 Ind  8  Wkts   L L 246- 2 43.4 243- 6 50.0
Colombo (1)  01 Jul 1998 SL    8 Runs   W L 163-10 35.4 171- 8 36.0
Colombo (3)  07 Jul 1998 Ind   6 Runs   W F 307- 6 50.0 301-10 49.3
Sharjah      06 Nov 1998 Ind  3  Wkts   W L 248- 7 49.1 245- 7 50.0
Sharjah      09 Nov 1998 Ind  81 Runs   L F 179-10 49.5  98-10 39.0
Nagpur       22 Mar 1999 Ind  80 Runs   L F 287- 4 50.0 207-10 38.0
Pune         30 Mar 1999 Ind  51 Runs   L F 286- 6 50.0 235-10 45.5

(T: Toss (W)on/(L)ost, B:Batted (F)irst/(L)ast)

The teams against each other in the World Cup

Although India's overall success percentage against Sri Lanka is 59.26, a dubious record remains: India have not been able to defeat Sri Lanka in the World Cup. So far, the teams have clashed four times and India have lost on three occassions, with one match being abandoned. In the previous World Cup, Sri Lanka were unstoppable, and beat India in the final league match as well as in the semi-final after they were awarded the match due to crowd trouble at the Eden Gardens.

1979                     1       0    1    0    0    0.00
1991-92                  1       0    0    1    0    0.00
1995-96                  2       0    2    0    0    0.00

TOTAL                    4       0    3    1    0    0.00

Contributed by: Atul Kahate (akahate@yahoo.com)