Sri Lanka management rules out singing National Anthems in the rest of the series

The ongoing second ODI has commenced without the ceremony of the teams singing their respective national anthems as the Sri Lankan management has decided to restrict the singing of national anthems to the first match of every series that will be played in the Island nation.

"We have adopted the practice of singing National Anthem only at the beginning of each format of the game," Sri Lanka cricket team's media manager Dinesh Ratnasingham was quoted as saying by Pakobserver.com.

"The practice of singing National Anthem was followed in the first ODI and again it will be sung at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo before the commencement of the only T-20 match on this tour. Rest of the venues will have an immediate start of the match without the Anthem Ceremony," Ratnasingham added.

The hosts will be looking for their first win of the tour against the dominant Indian side that blanked the Test series 3-0 and began the ODI series with a thumping nine-wicket victory. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli chased down a modest 216 in just a matter of 29 overs after the spin trio of Axar Patel, Kedar Jadhav, and Yuzvendra Chahal dismantled the Lankan batting.

Sri Lanka has made three changes for the second ODI against India bringing in Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, and Milinda Siriwardana for Thisara Perera, Wanidu Hasaranga, and Lakshan Sandakan while India have started unchanged in a bid to double their lead against the hosts.