Sri Lanka Snatch Dramatic Tie Against India in First ODI
This evening turned dramatic for Sri Lanka in this first ODI match played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, as they pulled off an unlikely draw against India, propelled by a great performance from their skipper, Charith Asalanka. The captaincy was led from the front by Asalanka, who proved to be quite brilliant with the ball as well, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries and changing the outlook of the game in favor of the hosts. Finally, the game concluded with Sri Lanka posting 230/8 and matching the target of India, who failed to go past the target after being on course for victory.
Dunith Wellalage Basks in Success with Bat and Ball
While all of Asalanka’s efforts were important, it was Dunith Wellalage who turned out to be the standout performer in his first ODI. The 21-year-old all-rounder scored a brisk 67 runs off 65 balls and later took 2 wickets for 39 runs with his left-arm spin to play a critical role in Sri Lanka’s fightback. Wellalage’s aggressive batting, which included seven fours and two sixes, helped lift the team from a perilous position of 142/6 to a more competitive total.
Good Start of India and Sudden Collapse
India chased well through skipper Rohit Sharma, who reached his half-century in just 33 balls, before the Indian innings was turned on its head by the visitors losing three wickets for just 12 runs, all but shifting the balance of the match once again in favor of Sri Lanka. The visitors did well at 197/7, needing only 33 runs to clinch the match, when Shivam Dube, batting at No. 8, ignited hopes of a victory with his explosive hitting.
Dube’s late charge was embedded with four boundaries and two sixes, but it was Asalanka’s contribution that finally shut the door on India. Dube had looked good for a finish and when he fell, it was a different story altogether, with India rubbed out in disbelief.
Sri Lanka’s Early Struggles
The game started with Sri Lanka receiving early setbacks as they were doing little to get a foothold against a disciplined Indian bowling attack. The sobering memory of what had happened the last time out, when they were bundled out for 50, perhaps played in the minds, as the Sri Lankans erred on the side of caution. Avishka Fernando was dismissed cheaply in Mohammed Siraj’s second over, and though Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka got through the Powerplay without further damage, their middle order simply caved in to the pressure.
Mendis’s fell to Dube’s medium pace, Sadeera Samarawickrama followed soon after, with a miscued shot to Shubman Gill off Axar Patel. As good as Nissanka’s composed 56 off 75 was, both his and Asalanka’s quick falls reduced Sri Lanka to the dumps.
A Resilient Fightback
Just when it seemed like the Sri Lankan innings would fold, Wellalage came in to give them just the impetus they required. Along with contributions from Wanindu Hasaranga’s 24 and Akila Dananjaya’s 17, Wellalage revived that innings, striking those crucial boundaries that got the crowd going, setting a competitive total.
The batting performance of Wellalage did not only raise the morale of the team but brought new life to the field. His breakthrough wicket of Rohit Sharma was very important, as it stopped the falling momentum of India and shifted the pressure again on the visiting side. Wellalage also took Gill’s wicket to make things all the more positive for him as a key player in the match.
India’s Stumble in the Chase
Though the game had just got underway, the innings fumbled through the middle overs as neither Virat Kohli nor Shreyas Iyer contributed much. The promotion of Washington Sundar to No. 4 did not work, and not long afterwards, KL Rahul was caught in a slog sweep by Hasaranga.
As the game reached an intense end, Dube’s review of his leg-before wicket decision proved to be a huge blow. The next man to follow was Arshdeep Singh, finally relenting to the pressure to leave the Indian dressing room in shock over the receding prospect of victory.
Conclusion
The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka was full of the kind of unpredictability only cricket can dish out, as Sri Lanka pulled off a stunning draw from out of the jaws of defeat. The leadership of Charith Asalanka and the all-round performance of Dunith Wellalage have brought to light the talent this young Sri Lankan team possesses. Both teams would want to get ready for the next game, while their fans will wait with bated breath to see how the action unfolds in this enthralling series, hoping that many more such great moments are witnessed as in this gripping encounter.
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