If Sri Lanka squandered games from winning positions in the three-match T20I series, it was India’s turn to make a mess of a relatively simple chase as the two sides played out a sensational tied encounter in the first ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 2.
Chasing 231, the visitor needed just five runs off the last three overs with two wickets in hand. And when Shivam Dube (25) punched Charith Asalanka (three for 30) to the cover boundary off the third ball of the 48th, the game seemed done and dusted. But the Lankan skipper did not throw in the towel and managed to trap Dube and Arshdeep Singh leg-before off consecutive deliveries to salvage pride for his team.
On a tricky pitch that offered considerable assistance to the spinners, the Men in Blue got off to a flyer but lost their way as the Sri Lankan tweakers kept their side in the hunt, picking wickets at regular intervals.
Skipper Rohit Sharma (58, 47b, 7×4, 3×6) set the tone for the chase when he belted out some of his classics — effortless pulls, flicks and cuts — and sent the Sri Lankan pacers on a leather hunt in the PowerPlay. He did not hold back against the spinners either, cutting Dunith Wellalage for two boundaries and sweeping off-spinner Akila Dananjaya for a four and six over square-leg to bring up his half-century off just 33 balls.
However, left-arm spinner Wellalage (two for 39) gave his side an opening when he removed openers Shubman Gill and Rohit in successive overs. From 75 for no loss, India slumped to 87 for three when Dananjaya had Washington Sundar leg-before.
Wanindu Hasaranga (three for 58) then got the big scalp of Virat Kohli, trapped plumb in front, trying to play off the back foot. In the next over, Asitha castled Shreyas to leave India, tottering at 132 for five.
K.L. Rahul (31) and Axar Patel (33) stitched a 54-run partnership for the sixth wicket to get the innings back on track. Just when things looked in control, Hasaranga removed Rahul when he skied to short midwicket, trying to sweep, while Asalanka had Axar caught behind. Dube almost saw India home, hitting two sixes, but failed to finish the job.
Earlier, half-centuries from opener Pathum Nissanka (56) and later Wellalage (67 n.o) helped the hosts post 230 for eight after opting to bat. Nissanka, who topped the run charts in the T20 series, carried his good form and looked positive in his approach. The 26-year-old played eye-catching shots off the front and backfoot against the quicks, peppered with punches and drives.
As was the case during the T20Is, Nissanka lacked support from the middle-order once the spinners and the home team looked in trouble at 101 for five. Fortunately for Sri Lanka, Wellalage rose to the occasion and played a composed knock, stitching three vital partnerships with the lower order to help his side reach a fighting total. It was not enough to win, but it helped avoid an 11th straight defeat to India across formats.
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA INNINGS: Pathum Nissanka lbw b Washington 56 (75b, 9×4), Avishka Fernando c Arshdeep b Siraj 1 (7b), Kusal Mendis lbw b Dube 14 (31b, 1×4), Sadeera Samarawickrama c Gill b Axar 8 (18b), Charith Asalanka c Rohit b Kuldeep 14 (21b, 2×4), Janith Liyanage c Rohit b Axar 20 (26b, 1×4, 1×6), Dunith Wellalage (not out) 67 (65b, 7×4, 2×6), Wanindu Hasaranga c Axar b Arshdeep 24 (35b, 1×4, 2×6), Akila Dananjaya c Washington b Arshdeep 17 (21b, 2×4), Mohamed Shiraz (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-2, w-6): 8
Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 230.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Avishka, 2.3 overs), 2-46 (Kusal Mendis, 13.1), 3-60 (Samarawickrama, 18.3), 4-91 (Asalanka, 23.5), 5-101 (Nissanka, 26.3) , 6-142 (Liyanage, 34.2), 7-178 (Hasaranga, 42.6), 8-224 (Dananjaya, 49.3).
INDIA BOWLING: Siraj 8-2-36-1, Arshdeep 8-0-47-2, Axar 10-0-33-2, Dube 4-0-19-1, Kuldeep 10-0-33-1, Washington 9-1-46-1, Gill 1-0-14-0.
INDIA INNINGS: Rohit Sharma lbw b Wellalage 58 (47b, 7×4, 3×6), Shubman Gill c Kusal Mendis b Wellalage 16 (35b, 2×4), Virat Kohli lbw b Hasaranga 24 (32b, 2×4), Washington Sundar lbw b Dananjaya 5 (4b, 1×4), Shreyas Iyer b Asitha 23 (23b, 4×4), K.L. Rahul c Wellalage b Hasaranga 31 (43b, 2×4), Axar Patel c Kusal Mendis b Asalanka 33 (57b, 2×4, 1×6), Shivam Dube lbw b Asalanka 25 (24b, 1×4, 2×6), Kuldeep Yadav b Hasaranga 2 (10b), Mohammed Siraj (not out) 5 (11b), Arshdeep Singh lbw b Asalanka 0 (1b); Extras (lb-4, w-4): 8
Total (in 47.5 overs): 230.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-75 (Gill, 12.4), 2-80 (Rohit, 14.2), 3-87 (Washington, 15.4), 4-130 (Kohli, 23.1), 5-132 (Shreyas, 24.2), 6-189 (Rahul, 39.4), 7-197 (Axar, 40.5), 8-211 (Kuldeep, 44.3), 9-230 (Dube, 47.4).
SRI LANKA BOWLING: Asitha 6-1-34-1, Shiraz 4-0-25-0, Wellalage 9-1-39-2, Dananjaya 10-0-40-1, Hasaranga 10-0-58-3, Asalanka 8.5-0-30-3.
Toss: Sri Lanka; PoM: Wellalage.
Match tied.
Second ODI: August 4, Colombo, 2.30 p.m. IST.
