T20Is will suit Sri Lanka more than ODIs, reckons Muttiah Muralitharan

The T20I series between Sri Lanka and India begins on Sunday. With India pocking the ODI series, the Lankan Lions will be keen to win the three T20Is and regain the lost confidence. The home team performed well in the last ODI match and won the game by three wickets. Former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan feels the victory in the last match is what Sri Lanka needed to lift their confidence ahead of the three-match T20I series.

Although Sri Lanka has not won a series in the shortest format for a long time, Murali feels Sri Lanka is much suited to the T20 format rather than the 50-over one. The 49-year-old further opined the Sri Lankan batters performed well in the ODIs but failed to convert those to 30s and 40s into something substantial.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the legendary off-spinner felt small contributions from every batsman can help Sri Lanka post a decent total. "Sri Lanka will be more comfortable in T20Is than ODIs because the format is shorter. In ODIs, the 30s and 40s don't win you matches, but in T20Is they can be good enough. So they can play that way and it may suit them more than one-dayers," Muttiah Muralitharan stated.

The 49-year-old feels the visitors are the favourites to win the three T20Is but also not ruled out the possibility of the home team giving a tough fight to India.

"India will start as favorites in the T20I series but, Sri Lanka will have an edge. This is because they would have got the belief from the last game that they can beat this side so that would have given them confidence. It is a new series and, planning will change, players might also change. I would say India might have an edge in the first game but, Sri Lanka will come stronger as well," Muttiah Muralitharan signed off.