(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) In the opening ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo, skipper Rohit Sharma stood out on a challenging pitch, unlike his teammates who struggled against quality spin bowling. The match ended in a thrilling tie, with India chasing a target of 231.
Rohit led the charge with a quickfire 58 off 47 balls, propelling the team to 71 runs in just 10 overs. However, the rest of the batting lineup faltered against Sri Lanka's spinners. Skipper Charith Asalanka played a crucial role, taking wickets off consecutive deliveries, leading to the 44th tie in ODI cricket history.
When Shivam Dube (25) struck two sixes and a boundary through extra cover to level the scores, it appeared Sri Lanka was heading towards another defeat. However, Charith Asalanka stepped up to secure a psychological victory for the home team.
Rohit Sharma, with a destructive half-century, showed no signs of rust, but the Indian middle-order faltered, revealing their vulnerability against slow bowlers.
The Indian bowling unit had earlier performed well on a turning track, restricting Sri Lanka to 230 for 8. Rohit's 58 provided a strong start for India, but things unraveled as Sri Lanka's spinners, led by Wanindu Hasaranga (3/58 in 10 overs), Akila Dananjaya (1/40 in 10 overs), Dunith Wellalage (2/39 in 8 overs), and skipper Charith Asalanka (3/30 in 8.5 overs), stifled the run flow and took crucial wickets when needed.
On a pitch where Rohit Sharma made batting appear effortless, KL Rahul's natural inclination to play a waiting game proved detrimental once again. Rahul's innings of 31 off 43 balls failed to spark a decisive turnaround before he eventually threw away his wicket.
Virat Kohli (23), Shreyas Iyer (24), and Axar Patel (33) each managed to get starts but were unable to capitalize on their opportunities.
In contrast, Rohit Sharma played as though he was on a different surface compared to the rest of the batters from both teams. He launched an 88-meter six over cow corner off the third ball of India's innings, bowled by Asitha Fernando, and then greeted debutant pacer Mohamed Shiraz with a series of boundaries, including a six over deep mid-wicket.
As Shubman Gill (16) struggled at one end, Rohit Sharma dismantled the Lankan bowlers with his aggressive play. However, once Rohit was dismissed leg-before while attempting a slog sweep against Dananjaya, the pitch, which had initially seemed favorable, began to exhibit its unpredictability.
The ball started to turn more, and variable bounce caused confusion among the batsmen. Virat Kohli was undone by a skidder, getting plumb in front, while Washington Sundar (5) fell victim to an angled delivery from Dananjaya. Shreyas Iyer looked promising in his brief innings before an in-cutter from Fernando breached his defense.
Earlier, fifties from Pathum Nissanka and Dunith Wellalage had propelled the hosts to a competitive total.
Nissanka (56 off 75 balls, 9 fours) demonstrated unwavering concentration, while Wellalage (67 not out off 65 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) displayed impressive confidence on a pitch that offered some turn after Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka chose to bat first.
Sri Lanka faced a rocky start to their innings, with Mohammed Siraj dismissing Avishka Fernando early. However, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (14) combined for 39 runs in a steady second-wicket partnership, allowing the hosts to make a partial recovery.
Despite this, the Islanders once again showed a tendency to lose their wickets carelessly, a pattern reminiscent of the preceding T20I series. This observation does not diminish the exceptional performance of the Indian bowlers, who consistently forced the Lankan batters into playing false shots.
Shivam Dube made a notable return to one-day cricket after a five-year hiatus by dismissing Mendis leg-before. From a relatively stable position of 46 for two, Sri Lanka's innings faltered dramatically, collapsing to 101 for five by the 27th over.
Wellalage, despite an initial struggle against Kuldeep, showed impressive form. His back-foot punch through the covers off Washington, along with several ramps and scoops, highlighted the young player's potential. The left-hander, who contributed an additional 46 runs with Akila Dhananjaya for the eighth wicket, reached his maiden ODI fifty in 59 balls, helping his team surpass the 200-run mark that had once seemed elusive.
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