The Sri Lankan national cricket team has to win two of the next four matches to secure a direct place in the ICC World Cup in 2019. 

If Sri Lanka fails to win at least two matches of the five match ODI series, it will have to play a qualifying round with 'ICC minnows' to secure a place in the cricket world cup. 

After it received test status, Sri Lanka has never underwent a qualifying round to receive a place in an ICC cricket tournament. 

Many cricket followers believe that Sri Lanka's hopes for a direct place in the ICC World Cup 2019 are diminishing, given the way the country played the first ODI of the crucial five match series.

Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli kept India’s 217-run chase on track in the first ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla, with India defeating Sri Lanka by nine wickets with 21 overs to spare. 

None of the Sri Lankan batsmen, except Niroshan Dickwella who scored 64, managed to score a half-century in the first ODI.