Chasing Under Lights: India’s Achilles’ Heel
Chasing under lights proved challenging for India once again. They fell short by 110 runs in the third ODI. This loss resulted in a 2-0 series defeat. Sri Lanka’s victory marked their first series win over India in the 50-over format since 1997. This win was especially significant after their failure to qualify for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Sri Lanka’s Solid Start
Sri Lanka won the toss and set a target of 248, thanks to Avishka Fernando’s 96. The pitch was dry and abrasive, making it difficult for India. The visitors had already struggled with targets of 231 and 241 in the first two ODIs. Chasing the highest target set in the series was always going to be a test.
India’s Batting Struggles
India’s chase began with a blazing start from Rohit Sharma. However, Virat Kohli endured another low score. This was his worst performance in a bilateral series against Sri Lanka. India crumbled against the spinning, skidding ball, losing six wickets inside the first 13 overs. Dunith Wellalage’s left-arm spin proved too much for India. He picked four of the first six wickets to fall.
Wellalage’s Spin Magic
Wellalage first beat Rohit on the slog-sweep with an away-spinning delivery. He then pinned Kohli in front with the arm-ball. In his next over, he bowled Axar Patel and trapped Shreyas Iyer lbw. India’s total of 27 wickets lost to spin across the three matches is the most in a bilateral ODI series. This marked a new low for India’s batting against spin.
Middle Order Woes
At 92/6, India still had Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag at the crease. Parag, handed an ODI debut, was included to strengthen the middle order. However, he misjudged a leg break from Jeffrey Vandersay and got bowled. Another change was bringing in left-handed Rishabh Pant for KL Rahul, but it hardly made a difference. Wellalage picked his fifth wicket, Kuldeep Yadav, sealing India’s fate at 138 all out in 26.1 overs.
Sri Lanka’s Batting Highlights
Earlier, Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando gave Sri Lanka a solid start with an 89-run stand. Nissanka was the early aggressor, hitting four boundaries off Mohammed Siraj. Axar Patel dismissed Nissanka with a top-edged slog-sweep. Fernando continued to play well, scoring an attractive half-century. He looked set for a hundred but played back to a full leg break from Parag.
Parag’s Breakthrough Performance
Riyan Parag took his first ODI wicket by dismissing Fernando. He soon added the wicket of Charith Asalanka (lbw), triggering a collapse. Sri Lanka went from 171/1 to 199/6. Washington Sundar and Siraj chipped in with crucial strikes. Parag finished with three wickets, helping India dominate the middle overs.
Mendis Steers Sri Lanka to a Strong Total
Despite the collapse, Kusal Mendis stepped up in the final overs. He scored a crucial fifty off 77 balls. Mendis helped Sri Lanka add 31 runs in the final three overs. This phase proved crucial, delivering Sri Lanka to a strong total of 248/7 on a challenging pitch.
A Memorable Series Win
The total proved more than handy, giving Sri Lanka a memorable series win. This was their first back-to-back ODI wins over India since August 2010. Sri Lanka’s spin magic and strategic batting made the difference. They celebrated a historic achievement, a testament to their resilience and skill.
Brief Scores
Sri Lanka scored 248/7 (Fernando 96, Mendis 59, Nissanka 45; Parag 3-54). India scored 138 in 26.1 overs (Rohit 35; Wellalage 5-27, Vandersay 2-34). Sri Lanka won by 110 runs.