At the R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday, left-arm spin all-rounder Dunith Wellalage created a maelstrom around the Indian batting lineup, leading Sri Lanka to a commanding 110-run victory in the third One-Day International. As a result of the outcome, Sri Lanka defeated India in their first bilateral ODI series since August 1997.
Following half-centuries from Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis, which helped Sri Lanka reach 248/7, their best series total, the Indian batting lineup was once again found wanting in terms of strategy and decision-making while facing spinners. As India collapsed once more, bowled out for just 138 in 26.1 overs, with just four batters scoring in double figures, it spurred Wellalage to pick 5-27.
With six boundaries in the first four overs, five of which came against Maheesh Theekshana, Rohit Sharma once again gave India a blazing start. When Shubman Gill attempted to remove the shackles by stepping out, Asitha Fernando scored the first wicket for Sri Lanka when he misplayed a sloppy delivery that kept low and jarred his off-stump.
The batting collapse for India started when Rohit attempted a slog-sweep but was caught by the keeper with an outside edge, giving Wellalage his maiden wicket. When Theekshana got Rishabh Pant to come out against a flighted delivery and got it to spin past his bat, he became the first person on the wicket-takers list. The keeper then quickly stumped Pant.
When Virat Kohli attempted to play for spin, Wellalage’s amazing display continued. However, Kohli was trapped leg before wicket, completing a hat-trick of dismissals for the batter spinners. With a crisp turning-in delivery, he returned to castle Axar Patel and trapped Shreyas Iyer leg before wicket on the back foot as India destroyed all of its reviews.
India lost more ground when Riyan Parag experienced a brain fade and mishandled a leg-breaking delivery from Jeffrey Vandersay, which struck the stumps instead of disappearing. In his subsequent over, the leg-spinner struck once more as Shivam Dube attempted a slog-sweep but was hit on the rear pad in front of the stumps, resulting in a leg-before-strike.
In his 25-ball 30, Washington managed to hit five lovely boundaries in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. However, he holed out to long-off against Theekshana, and Wellalage finished his five-for by trapping Kuldeep Yadav leg before wicket to end the match and ignite wild celebrations among the stadium’s raucous spectators.
Earlier, skipper Charith Asalanka had hoped that one of his batters would score a century after choosing to bat first on a dry pitch. By hitting a smooth 96 from 102 balls, complete with nine fours and two sixes, Avishka came very close to realising that desire. But he was impressively Riyan’s first ODI wicket, falling four runs short of a century.
By skilfully combining his leg-break and off-break deliveries, Riyan claimed two more wickets as India recovered to restrict Sri Lanka to 199/6 in 43.3 overs. At the tail end of the innings, Mendis came up with four boundaries in his 82-ball 53, but Sri Lanka scored 31 runs in the final three overs.
Formal Pathum Nissanka struck Mohammed Siraj for four boundaries in the first three overs, displaying her brilliance right away. Taking two fours off him and one off part-time pacer Shivam Dube, Avishka joined in. After slog-sweeping Axar for two sixes and a four, Nissanka showed off her skills once again. Avishka then glanced and swept off Kuldeep for boundaries.
However, Axar broke the opening stand of 89 runs as Nissanka attempted another slog-sweep, but this time the keeper got a top edge. After steering Axar for four to reach her fifty, Avishka welcomed Siraj by edging him for four and then hauling him twice for sixes. After two more boundaries, he reached the nineties, but a century escaped Avishka, who was left upset after being trapped leg before wicket by Riyan’s leg break.
Subsequently, Sri Lanka faltered as Riyan straightened a delivery and trapped Asalanka leg before wicket, and Siraj trapped Sadeera Samawickrama leg before wicket with a yorker. Washington gave Janith Liyanage an inside edge to his stumps, but Riyan sent a flighted delivery to square in and hit Wellalage’s top.
Mendis hit two boundaries at the end of the over to reach fifty and help Sri Lanka reach a respectable score, hoping that their bowlers would be able to prevent India from matching it. That’s exactly how things turned out, with Wellalage guaranteeing a lengthy night of joyous festivities for Sri Lanka.
Quick scores:
India was defeated by 110 runs to be reduced to 138 all out in 26.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 35, Washington Sundar 30; Dunith Wellalage 5-27, Jeffrey Vandersay 2-34) by Sri Lanka 248/7 in 50 overs (Avishka Fernando 96, Kusal Mendis 59; Riyan Parag 3-54, Washington Sundar 1-29).