Rejuvenated Sri Lanka Drubs India in Dharamsala ODI

After the 12 straight losses in the One-day international cricket, much-improved Thisara Perera-led Sri Lanka on Sunday evening (December 10) registered a thumping seven-wicket win over Rohit Sharma-led Team India in the first match of the three-match ODI series at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

Angelo Mathews remained unbeaten on 25 off 42 balls, as Niroshan Dickwella scored 26 off 24 balls in a bid to lead the series 1-0.

For the fourth wicket, Mathews alongside Dickwella registered 49 runs to chase down the target in 20.4 overs.

So much so, India bowlers conceded 13 extras which were comprised of 10 wide deliveries, two balls, and a leg bye.

In the second half of the game, coming to chase down the paltry total of 113, Sri Lanka didn’t have a good start as they lost the first wicket on the score of seven in the form of Danushka Gunathilaka, as Lahiru Thirimanne was the second-man-to-go at the Lankans score of 19 in 6.1 overs.

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Thirimanne was clean bowled on a nought by Bhuvneshwar Kumar after facing three balls.

The left-handed batsman Upul Tharanga, who is the top scorer (49 off 46 balls), was given a reprieve when he was batting on 11 which further saw him being caught by Dinesh Karthik at the gully region on the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah.

However, the slow-mo suggested it was a front-foot no-ball when on-field umpire went upstairs.

Earlier after Perera won the toss and straightaway opted to field with the clear tinge of green over the 22-yard surface pushed the visitors’ leader to make most of the opportunity early on.

While coming to bat, India kept on losing the wickets at regular intervals and at one stage the hosts were reeling at 29 for seven in 16.4 overs.

However, it was the senior campaigner Mahendra Singh Dhoni who steadied to the ship to post 112 on board, before the side was bundled out in 38.2 overs.

Interestingly, Dhoni smashed a fifty, and he was the last-man-to-go when he was caught by Danushka Gunathilaka on the bowling of Perera.

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Dhoni, who scored crucial 65 off 87 balls further knitted 41-run stand for the eighth wicket alongside Kuldeep Yadav (19 off 25).

Dhoni’s innings included ten fours and two sixes, as Suranga Lakmal was the protagonist with the ball after claimed four wickets in 10 overs.

Moreover, bowling with such a discipline, all six bowlers used by Perera were among the wickets.