Table of Contents
The India national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team timeline starts in 1979 — and if you follow it closely, you’re reading the history of Asian cricket itself.
These two nations have played each other more times than almost any other pair in world cricket. Over 250 matches across 3 formats and 4 decades. They’ve met in 3 ICC finals. They co-hosted 2 World Cups together. Their grounds, their crowds, their players — it’s all intertwined in ways that make this rivalry feel less like competition and more like a long family argument.
India dominates the overall ledger. But Sri Lanka has landed some of the most devastating punches in cricket history — the 1996 World Cup semi-final, the 2014 T20 World Cup final, the Nidahas Trophy final in 2018. In knockout cricket, at certain moments, this team has been the one thing India couldn’t handle.
Here’s the full timeline, format by format, match by match.
India National Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Timeline Timeline (1979–2026)
1979–1985: The beginning
Sri Lanka played their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1979. Their first match: India. They won by 47 runs in Manchester, with Duleep Mendis scoring 64 off 57 balls. It was the first time India lost to Sri Lanka in any format, and almost nobody in India had seen it coming.
Sri Lanka weren’t yet a Test nation (that came in 1982), but that win planted a flag.
The Test rivalry began in 1982, when India toured Sri Lanka. The first-ever India vs Sri Lanka Test was in Madras (Chennai) in September 1982. Duleep Mendis — the same batter who’d scored that 1979 ODI fifty — scored centuries in both innings. The match ended in a draw. India won the series 1-0.
Early bilateral cricket between the two was sparse. Sri Lanka was finding their feet in international cricket, and India didn’t always take them seriously enough. That would change.
1986–1995: Growing competition
Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, India and Sri Lanka clashed regularly in Asia Cup and Sharjah tournaments.
The 1990 Asia Cup saw Sri Lanka and India meet in the final. Sri Lanka won. It was one of the early signs that this team could beat anyone on their day.
Muttiah Muralitharan made his Test debut in 1992. From that point, every match India played against Sri Lanka in the sub-continent became a different kind of challenge. His off-break, his doosra, that unusual wrist action — India’s batters spent the next 15 years trying to figure him out.
Sachin Tendulkar began accumulating runs against Sri Lanka in this period. Sanath Jayasuriya began doing the same on the other side. Two players who would go on to define their respective sides’ batting histories were just getting started.
The 1993 Hero Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens saw Mohammad Azharuddin hit 3 sixes off the last 3 balls to win for India in an extraordinary finish. Sri Lanka were in the other semi-final. India went on to win the tournament.
1996–2005: Sri Lanka’s golden era
This is the decade when Sri Lanka arrived as a genuine world power. And India felt it more than anyone.
1996 World Cup semi-final, Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Sri Lanka posted 251/8. Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana had already redefined the powerplay — hitting 117 runs in the first 15 overs against India earlier in the group stage. Aravinda de Silva scored 66 in the semi-final.
India’s chase fell apart after Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 65. They slumped to 120/8 in the 35th over. The crowd at Eden Gardens — 110,000 people — responded by throwing bottles and lighting fires in the stands. Match referee Clive Lloyd awarded the game to Sri Lanka by default. Sri Lanka hadn’t even needed to finish the job on the field.
Sri Lanka went on to win that World Cup, beating Australia in the final. India watched from home.
Muralitharan’s dominance in Tests
Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, Muralitharan made India’s top-order batters look ordinary in Sri Lanka. He ended his career with 105 Test wickets against India — the most by any bowler against India in Tests. His mastery on turning pitches in Colombo and Galle made touring Sri Lanka one of cricket’s hardest challenges.
2004 Singer Cup and bilateral tours
India’s 2004 tour of Sri Lanka produced some excellent cricket. Rahul Dravid averaged over 100 in that Test series. India won the series 1-0. But bilateral encounters through this period were competitive across all formats, with neither side able to dominate consistently.
2006–2015: Intense bilateral rivalry
2011 World Cup Final, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
April 2, 2011. 33,000 inside Wankhede. 135 million watching on television in India.
Sri Lanka batted first. Mahela Jayawardene scored 103* off 88 balls — a masterclass. He was involved in a 66-run partnership with Thisara Perera in the last 10 overs to take Sri Lanka to 274/6. A proper target.
India’s chase started in disaster. Virender Sehwag was out second ball, LBW to Malinga. Tendulkar went for 18. The ground went quiet.
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli steadied things to 114, and then MS Dhoni made one of the most counterintuitive decisions in World Cup history: he promoted himself above Yuvraj Singh at No. 5. Dhoni made 91*, Gambhir made 97. Their 109-run partnership crushed Sri Lanka’s momentum.
The last ball of the match: Dhoni hits Kulasekara over long-on for six. Ravi Shastri: “Dhoni finishes off in style. India lift the World Cup after 28 years.” India won by 6 wickets with 10 balls to spare.
Sachin Tendulkar was carried around Wankhede on his teammates’ shoulders.
2014 T20 World Cup Final, Dhaka
April 6, 2014. The positions reversed.
Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga won the toss and chose to field. India made 130/4. It was a chaseable target.
Sri Lanka chased it down with 13 balls to spare, winning by 6 wickets. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were playing their last T20I. Both were dismissed before the end, but Lahiru Thirimanne finished it. Sri Lanka won their first T20 World Cup title.
It was one of the most crushing India defeats in ICC knockout cricket. A sub-par total, a poor pitch reading, and a Sri Lanka side who took their shot perfectly.
2016–2020: India’s dominance
India’s bilateral dominance over Sri Lanka in this period was comprehensive. Between 2017 and 2020, India won 9 consecutive ODIs against Sri Lanka.
2017 Tour of Sri Lanka
India won the Test series 3-0, the ODI series 5-0, and the T20I series 1-0. Shikhar Dhawan scored 304 runs in the Test series. Jasprit Bumrah announced himself as a global white-ball force, taking wickets in every format.
Sri Lanka’s cricket went through serious instability during this period — board conflicts, player retirements, inconsistent selection. India punished it.
2018 Nidahas Trophy Final, Colombo
The Nidahas Trophy was a tri-nation T20 tournament in Sri Lanka. The final: India vs Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka needed 5 off the last ball. Thisara Perera hit spinner Vijay Shankar over long-on for six. Sri Lanka won off the last ball. The Indian dugout, especially Hardik Pandya, was involved in a heated exchange with Sri Lankan players and management after. The match remains one of the most dramatic T20 finishes between these two teams.
2021–2026: Modern rivalry
2023 Asia Cup Final, Colombo
India played Sri Lanka in the final of the 2023 Asia Cup. It wasn’t close.
Mohammed Siraj took 6/21. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 — the lowest total in Asia Cup history. India chased 51 in 6.1 overs, winning by 10 wickets. Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan didn’t need to break a sweat.
Sri Lanka’s batting collapsed completely. 50 all out. It remains the most one-sided India vs Sri Lanka final in any format.
2025 India tour of Sri Lanka
India won the ODI series 3-0. A reshaped Indian side featuring emerging talents Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Tilak Varma dominated across formats. Sri Lanka’s home advantage counted for little.
Asia Cup 2025
India and Sri Lanka met in the Super Fours stage. India won. Sri Lanka were eliminated before the final, which India and Pakistan contested.
India National Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Timeline head-to-head record
Overall
| Format | Matches | India Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 46 | 20 | 7 | 19 draws |
| ODIs | 171 | 99 | 59 | 1 tie / 12 NR |
| T20Is | 32 | 22 | 9 | 1 NR |
| Total | 249 | 141 | 75 | — |
Test head-to-head
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 46 |
| India wins | 20 |
| Sri Lanka wins | 7 |
| Draws | 19 |
| Highest team total | Sri Lanka 952/6d (Colombo, 1997) |
| India highest | 726/9d (Mumbai, 2009) |
| Pakistan’s run (India vs SL Tests) | India has won 9 series, SL 3, 4 draws |
ODI head-to-head
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 171 |
| India wins | 99 |
| Sri Lanka wins | 59 |
| Tied | 1 |
| No result | 12 |
| India win % | ~57.9% |
T20I head-to-head
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 32 |
| India wins | 22 |
| Sri Lanka wins | 9 |
| No result | 1 |
| India win % | ~71.0% |
ICC tournament record
| Tournament | Matches | India Wins | Sri Lanka Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 10 | 5 | 4 (+1 tie) |
| T20 World Cup | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Champions Trophy | 5 | 2 | 1 (+2 ties) |
| Total ICC | 20 | 9 | 8 |
Asia Cup record (ODI format)
| Matches | India Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | NR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 12 | 11 | 0 |
Bilateral series record (summary)
| Host | India Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|
| In India (Tests) | 12 | 2 | 9 |
| In Sri Lanka (Tests) | 8 | 5 | 10 |
India vs Sri Lanka timeline of every major match
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Winner | Margin | Player of the Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | ODI World Cup | Manchester | Sri Lanka | 47 runs | Duleep Mendis |
| 1982 | 1st Test | Madras | Draw | — | — |
| 1990 | Asia Cup Final | Colombo | Sri Lanka | — | — |
| 1993 | Hero Cup | Calcutta | India | — | Azharuddin |
| 1996 | World Cup SF | Kolkata | Sri Lanka | Default | Aravinda de Silva |
| 1997 | Test (SL 952/6d) | Colombo | Draw | — | Sanath Jayasuriya |
| 1999 | Singer Cup | Colombo | Sri Lanka | — | — |
| 2002 | Champions Trophy Final | Colombo | Shared | Tied | — |
| 2007 | World Cup | Port Elizabeth | Sri Lanka | — | — |
| 2008 | Asia Cup | Colombo | India | 1 wicket | MS Dhoni |
| 2009 | Champions Trophy | Centurion | India | — | — |
| 2010 | T20 World Cup | Barbados | Sri Lanka | 5 wickets | — |
| 2011 | World Cup Final | Mumbai | India | 6 wickets | MS Dhoni |
| 2014 | T20 WC Final | Dhaka | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets | Kumar Sangakkara |
| 2016 | Asia Cup T20 | Mirpur | India | 5 wickets | Virat Kohli |
| 2017 | Test Series | Sri Lanka | India | 3-0 | — |
| 2017 | ODI Series | Sri Lanka | India | 5-0 | — |
| 2018 | Nidahas Trophy Final | Colombo | Sri Lanka | Last ball six | Thisara Perera |
| 2022 | Asia Cup T20 | Dubai | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets | Dasun Shanaka |
| 2023 | Asia Cup Final | Colombo | India | 10 wickets | Mohammed Siraj |
| 2025 | ODI Series | Sri Lanka | India | 3-0 | — |
Read More : India National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan Cricket National Team Timeline
India vs Sri Lanka ICC tournament timeline
Cricket World Cup (ODI)
| Year | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Manchester | Sri Lanka | 47 runs |
| 1983 | Bristol | India | — |
| 1987 | Group stage | India | — |
| 1992 | Mackay | India | — |
| 1996 | Kanpur (Group) | India | — |
| 1996 | Kolkata (SF) | Sri Lanka | Default |
| 2003 | Johannesburg | Sri Lanka | — |
| 2007 | Port Elizabeth | Sri Lanka | — |
| 2011 | Mumbai (Final) | India | 6 wickets |
| 2023 | Lucknow | India | — |
India leads ODI World Cup encounters 5-4, with 1 no result.
T20 World Cup
| Year | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Barbados | Sri Lanka | 5 wickets |
| 2014 | Dhaka (Final) | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets |
| 2016 | Mirpur | India | — |
| 2021 | Sharjah | India | — |
| 2022 | Melbourne | India | — |
Sri Lanka leads T20 World Cup encounters 3-2.
Champions Trophy
| Year | Stage | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Final | Tied (shared) |
| 2006 | Group | India |
| 2009 | Group | Sri Lanka |
| 2017 | Group | India |
| 2023 | — | N/A |
World Test Championship
India and Sri Lanka met in WTC cycles but haven’t contested a WTC Final against each other.
India vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup timeline
| Year | Format | Stage | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | ODI | Group | India | — |
| 1986 | ODI | Group/Final | Sri Lanka | — |
| 1988 | ODI | Group | India | — |
| 1990 | ODI | Final | Sri Lanka | — |
| 1991 | ODI | Group | India | — |
| 1995 | ODI | Group | Sri Lanka | — |
| 1997 | ODI | Group | Sri Lanka | — |
| 2004 | ODI | Group | India | — |
| 2008 | ODI | Group | India | 1 wicket |
| 2010 | ODI | Final | India | — |
| 2012 | ODI | Group | India | — |
| 2014 | ODI | Group | Sri Lanka | — |
| 2016 | T20 | Group | India | 5 wickets |
| 2018 | ODI | Super 4 | India | — |
| 2022 | T20 | Group | India | — |
| 2022 | T20 | Super 4 | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets |
| 2023 | ODI | Final | India | 10 wickets |
| 2025 | T20 | Super 4 | India | — |
India leads Asia Cup ODI encounters 12-11. In the T20 format, India leads 2-1.
India vs Sri Lanka bilateral series timeline
Test series summary
| Year | Host | Series Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1982-83 | India | India 1-0 |
| 1985-86 | Sri Lanka | 0-0 |
| 1986-87 | India | India 2-0 |
| 1990-91 | Sri Lanka | 1-1 |
| 1993-94 | India | India 3-0 |
| 1997-98 | Sri Lanka | 0-0 |
| 2001 | India | India 2-1 |
| 2005-06 | Sri Lanka | 2-2 |
| 2008 | India | India 1-0 |
| 2009-10 | Sri Lanka | 2-0 SL |
| 2013 | India | India 2-0 |
| 2015-16 | Sri Lanka | India 2-1 |
| 2017 | Sri Lanka | India 3-0 |
| 2022-23 | India | India 2-0 |
ODI series summary (selected)
| Year | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Sri Lanka | India 6-3 |
| 2009 | Sri Lanka | India 4-1 |
| 2012 | Sri Lanka | 4-4 |
| 2014 | India | India 5-0 |
| 2017 | Sri Lanka | India 5-0 |
| 2023 | India | India 3-0 |
| 2025 | Sri Lanka | India 3-0 |
India vs Sri Lanka head-to-head statistics
Most runs (ODIs)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 84 | 3,113 | 42.6 | 8 | 17 |
| 2 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 89 | 2,899 | 35.7 | 7 | 17 |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma | India | 50+ | 2,400+ | 53.4 | 9 | 11 |
| 4 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 75 | 2,185 | 33.6 | 3 | 14 |
| 5 | Tillakaratne Dilshan | Sri Lanka | 51 | 1,780 | 39.6 | 6 | 8 |
Most runs (Tests)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 19 | 1,995 | 61.4 | 6 |
| 2 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 18 | 1,882 | 60.7 | 5 |
| 3 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 21 | 1,844 | 50.9 | 5 |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | India | 17 | 1,719 | 63.7 | 5 |
| 5 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 17 | 1,596 | 53.2 | 4 |
Most runs (T20Is)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 19 | 411 | 27.4 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 15 | 339 | 37.7 |
| 3 | Dasun Shanaka | Sri Lanka | 24 | 430 | 26.9 |
| 4 | Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | 18 | 341 | 22.7 |
| 5 | Suryakumar Yadav | India | 12 | 298 | 37.3 |
India vs Sri Lanka: most wickets
Most wickets (ODIs)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 63 | 74 | 4.12 | 7/30 |
| 2 | Zaheer Khan | India | 48 | 66 | 4.94 | 5/42 |
| 3 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 48 | 56 | 5.10 | 5/34 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 38 | 54 | 4.47 | 6/12 |
| 5 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 47 | 50 | 4.33 | 5/14 |
Most wickets (Tests)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | Avg | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 22 | 105 | 23.8 | 8/87 |
| 2 | Anil Kumble | India | 17 | 67 | 26.1 | 7/63 |
| 3 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 17 | 60 | 28.3 | 7/71 |
| 4 | Harbhajan Singh | India | 14 | 45 | 34.2 | 7/52 |
| 5 | Javagal Srinath | India | 10 | 41 | 22.7 | 8/86 |
Most wickets (T20Is)
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuzvendra Chahal | India | 14 | 14 | 7.1 | 3/17 |
| 2 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | 12 | 13 | 7.3 | 3/24 |
| 3 | Jasprit Bumrah | India | 11 | 12 | 5.9 | 3/29 |
| 4 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 10 | 11 | 7.4 | 4/12 |
| 5 | Hardik Pandya | India | 10 | 10 | 7.6 | 3/22 |
Highest individual scores
| Format | Batter | Score | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 340 | Colombo | 1997 |
| Test | Virender Sehwag (IND) | 293 | Mumbai | 2009 |
| Test | Rahul Dravid (IND) | 233 | Colombo | 2014 |
| ODI | Rohit Sharma (IND) | 264 | Kolkata | 2014 |
| ODI | Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 163* | Sharjah | 1998 |
| T20I | Rohit Sharma (IND) | 118 | Indore | 2017 |
Best bowling figures
| Format | Bowler | Figures | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 8/87 | Colombo | 1993 |
| Test | Javagal Srinath (IND) | 8/86 | Colombo | 2001 |
| ODI | Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 7/30 | Sharjah | 2000 |
| ODI | Mohammed Siraj (IND) | 6/21 | Colombo | 2023 |
| T20I | Lasith Malinga (SL) | 4/12 | — | — |
Team records
| Record | Team | Score | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Test total | Sri Lanka | 952/6d | Colombo, 1997 |
| Highest India Test total | India | 726/9d | Mumbai, 2009 |
| Highest ODI total | India | — | multiple 350+ |
| Lowest ODI total | Sri Lanka | 50 | Colombo (Asia Cup Final), 2023 |
| Largest ODI win (wickets) | India | 10 wickets | 2023 Asia Cup Final |
Memorable India vs Sri Lanka matches
1996 World Cup semi-final, Eden Gardens
110,000 people. Sri Lanka posted 251. Aravinda de Silva made 66 with controlled, beautiful batting. India collapsed to 120/8 after Tendulkar was dismissed for 65. The crowd threw bottles and lit fires. Match referee Clive Lloyd awarded it to Sri Lanka. India never had to be beaten on the field — their own crowd ended the chase.
2002 Champions Trophy Final
The match that couldn’t be finished. Rain interrupted it twice. The result: shared title. India and Sri Lanka were declared co-champions. The only major ICC final in history decided this way.
2008 Asia Cup, Colombo
India chased 309 to win. MS Dhoni made 67, Robin Uthappa made 86. India got home with 1 wicket remaining. It was one of the great run chases in Asia Cup history, and one of the clearest signs that Dhoni’s India was built differently from its predecessors.
2011 World Cup Final, Wankhede
The match India had been building toward for 28 years. Jayawardene’s 103* was the finest innings played by a losing team in a World Cup final. India won by 6 wickets. Dhoni’s six off Kulasekara ended it. Tendulkar was carried on his teammates’ shoulders.
2014 T20 World Cup Final, Dhaka
India made 130/4, thinking it was enough. It wasn’t. Sri Lanka chased it with 13 balls to spare. Sangakkara and Jayawardene played their final T20Is. Sri Lanka won their first World T20 title. India went home having under-batted and under-planned on a slow pitch.
2018 Nidahas Trophy Final, Colombo
Sri Lanka needed 5 off the last ball. Thisara Perera hit Vijay Shankar over long-on for six. Final scores level. One of the most contentious moments in recent India-Sri Lanka history, remembered as much for the heated exchanges between teams as for the finish itself.
2023 Asia Cup Final, Colombo
The definition of lopsided. Sri Lanka bowled out for 50. India knocked off the runs in 6.1 overs. Mohammed Siraj took 6/21. Sri Lanka’s batters couldn’t read anything. India won by 10 wickets without a hint of difficulty.
India vs Sri Lanka records by venue
In India (Tests)
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 22 |
| India wins | 12 |
| Sri Lanka wins | 2 |
| Draws | 8 |
In Sri Lanka (Tests)
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 21 |
| India wins | 8 |
| Sri Lanka wins | 5 |
| Draws | 8 |
At neutral venues (ODI/T20 tournaments)
Sri Lanka has performed better against India at neutral venues than anywhere else, particularly in ICC knockout matches. The 2014 T20 World Cup Final (Dhaka) and the 1996 World Cup semi-final (Kolkata, technically neutral territory for Sri Lanka) are the standout examples.
India vs Sri Lanka captains record
| Captain | Country | Matches | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | India | 45 | 34 | 10 | 77.3% |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 25 | 19 | 6 | 76.0% |
| Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 30 | 15 | 13 | 50.0% |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 28 | 12 | 15 | 42.9% |
| Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 18 | 8 | 9 | 47.1% |
| Virat Kohli | India | 20 | 16 | 4 | 80.0% |
Most successful players in India vs Sri Lanka matches
Most runs (combined formats)
| Rank | Player | Team | Formats | Total Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | Test + ODI | 5,100+ |
| 2 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | Test + ODI | 4,781+ |
| 3 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | Test + ODI | 4,029+ |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | India | Test + ODI | 3,400+ |
| 5 | Rohit Sharma | India | ODI + T20I | 2,800+ |
Most wickets (combined formats)
| Rank | Player | Team | Formats | Total Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | Test + ODI | 179 |
| 2 | Anil Kumble | India | Test + ODI | 121 |
| 3 | Zaheer Khan | India | ODI + Test | 100+ |
| 4 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | Test + ODI | 110+ |
| 5 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | ODI + T20I | 67+ |
India vs Sri Lanka rivalry by format
Tests
India leads convincingly — 20 wins to Sri Lanka’s 7, with 19 draws. Sri Lanka’s Test wins against India have almost all come in home conditions, where Muralitharan turned the pitch into something completely different from what Indian batters prepared for. Away from Colombo and Galle, Sri Lanka have rarely beaten India in Tests.
Sri Lanka’s highest-ever Test score — 952/6 declared at Colombo in 1997 — came against India. Sanath Jayasuriya made 340, Roshan Mahanama 225. Together they put on 576 for the 2nd wicket, still the highest partnership in Test history. India drew the match.
ODIs
India leads 99-59. But the ODI record hides how competitive this actually was in the 1990s and early 2000s. Sri Lanka won more ODI World Cup encounters (4 wins to India’s 5) through to 2011, and their powerplay batting under Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana genuinely changed how the game was played.
Since 2015, India’s ODI dominance over Sri Lanka has been near-total. India won 9 consecutive ODIs between 2017 and 2020.
T20Is
India dominates: 22 wins from 32 matches. But Sri Lanka’s 3 wins include the 2014 T20 World Cup Final and 2 Asia Cup encounters. In T20 knockout cricket specifically, Sri Lanka have been capable of beating India when it matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the first India vs Sri Lanka cricket match?
June 16, 1979, in Manchester, at the ICC World Cup. Sri Lanka beat India by 47 runs. It was Sri Lanka’s debut in World Cup cricket.
Who has won more India vs Sri Lanka matches?
India, by a significant margin. 141 wins to Sri Lanka’s 75 across all formats.
What is India’s record against Sri Lanka in Tests?
India leads 20-7, with 19 draws across 46 Tests. Sri Lanka’s wins have mostly come at home in Colombo and Galle.
What is the ODI head-to-head record?
India leads 99-59, with 1 tie and 12 no results from 171 matches.
Who has scored the most runs in India vs Sri Lanka matches?
Sachin Tendulkar leads in both Tests and ODIs. In ODIs, he scored 3,113 runs from 84 matches. In Tests, he made close to 2,000 runs. Rohit Sharma now leads the T20I run-scoring for India (411 runs).
Who has taken the most wickets?
Muttiah Muralitharan leads in Tests (105 wickets) and ODIs (74 wickets) — the most by any single bowler against India in Tests. On India’s side, Zaheer Khan leads ODI wickets (66) and Anil Kumble leads in Tests (67).
Which was the highest-scoring India vs Sri Lanka match?
The 1997 Colombo Test, where Sri Lanka made 952/6 declared. In ODIs, Rohit Sharma’s 264 at Kolkata in 2014 came during India’s 404/5 — the highest team total in an ODI at the time.
How many World Cup matches have India and Sri Lanka played?
10 in ODI World Cups (India leads 5-4) and 5 in T20 World Cups (Sri Lanka leads 3-2).
What happened in the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final?
Sri Lanka made 274/6, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring 103*. India chased it down with 6 wickets and 10 balls to spare. MS Dhoni (91*) and Gautam Gambhir (97) put on 109 for the 4th wicket. Dhoni hit the winning six off Kulasekara. India won their second World Cup title, their first on home soil.
When did India and Sri Lanka last play each other?
In the 2025 Asia Cup Super Fours. India won. The 2025 bilateral ODI series in Sri Lanka also saw India win 3-0.
The India national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team timeline spans nearly 5 decades, 250 matches, and some of the most extraordinary cricket ever played. The numbers favor India heavily. But the biggest moments — 1996, 2014, 2018 — belong to Sri Lanka. That’s what keeps this one interesting.
