Sri Lanka in grand victory over India
Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka made half-centuries as Sri Lanka recorded a thrilling six-wicket win over favourites India in their Super Four match of the ongoing Asia Cup tournament played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Sri Lanka came to the game with a good plan as they were able to restrict Indians to 173 for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Sri Lanka chased down the target to finish on 174 for 4 wickets with one ball to spare.
Kusal Mendis 57 scored 57 in 37 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes while young Pathum Nissanka scored 52 in 37 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes boosting a good opening stand of 97 runs in 11.1 overs. Skipper Dasun Shanaka added 33 in 18 balls with 4 fours and a six and Bhanuka Rajapaksa smashed 25 in 17 balls with two sixes adding an unbroken 64-run fifth-wicket partnership to seal the victory. Dasun Shanaka was named the Man of the Match with two wickets and an unbeaten 33 runs under his belt.
Earlier, Sri Lankan opted to field after winning their third toss in a row. India didn’t get off to the best start as the wicket of opener K.L Rahul (6), was sent back to the pavilion after being trapped LBW by Maheesh Theekshana in the second over and Virat Kohli was dismissed for 4-ball a golden duck.
The Left-arm medium paceman Dilshan Madushanka was excellent in the bowling department for Sri Lanka as Kohli was clean bowled to a fly stump fly by Madushanka in the third over.
However, after losing the two quick wickets skipper Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav build a good 97-run partnership for the third wicket to help India move into a stronger position. Sharma has been a force to reckon with, hitting shots all around the ground. In the first Power Play after six overs, India were 44 for 2 wickets and looked comfortable at 79/2 after the 10 overs despite losing Rahul and Kohli.
Rohit Sharma made a superb knock of 72 in 41 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes. He was caught by Nissanka off Chamika Karunaratne’s delivery. Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 34 in 29 balls with a four and a six, was dismissed by Dasun Shanaka in the 15th over as Theekshana at third man took the catch.
Hardik Pandya came to the middle as promoted ahead of Rishabh Pant but Shanaka came back strongly to get his wicket and India’s plans were down with the early dismissal of Pandya who scored 17 in 13 balls with a six. Rishabh was also taken out for the same total of 17 and young Madushanka finished with a career-best spell of (3/24).
Chief scores
India: 173 for 8 wickets in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 72, Suryakumar Yadav 34, Hardik Pandya 17, Rishabh Pant 17, Ravichandran Ashwin 15*, Dilshan Madushanka 3/24, Mahesh Theekshana 1/29, Chamika Karunaratne 2/27, Dasun Shanaka 2/26)
Sri Lanka: 174/4 in 19.5 overs (Pathum Nissanka 52, Kusal Mendis 57, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 25*, Dasun Shanaka 33*, Yuzvendra Chahal 3/24, Ravichandran Ashwin 1/32)