A step forward for Lanka cricket, and one backward stride for India

Dunith Wellalage, the architect of this famous triumph, was not even born when Sri Lanka last defeated India in a bilateral ODI series. So were four other teammates of his on Wednesday. Despite missing several key players to injuries, a young and inexperienced Sri Lanka side managed to achieve what even Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara couldn’t in their glittering career. After 27 years, after a spirited effort from their batters, Wellalage’s 5/27 routed India for 138 in 26.1 overs, giving Sri Lanka a 110-run win in the third ODI, which helped them clinch the series 2-0.

Unlike the first and second ODIs, there wasn’t as much turn on offer, but that didn’t stop India from enduring another painful outing at the Premadasa. For the third time in a week, despite having all the wealth of experience and class in their ranks, India’s batting unit combusted at the first sight of pressure. If anything, the procession was quicker than what unfolded in the first and second ODI. Even the quick-fire start that at least gave them some sort of hope in the first two matches, was absent without a trace.

Chasing 249 to level the series, India’s chase seldom looked in control. From the moment Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill walked in, their only plan was to make the most out of the hard new ball before the spinners could seize control. They yielded success, though Lankans introduced Maheesh Theekshana to handle their headaches in the first powerplay. With Theekshana making no difference, Sri Lanka turned to Wellalage, the young all-rounder touted for bigger things in.

Left-arm, special

In his brief spell, Wellalage achieved what no other left-arm spinner has ever done before against India – take two five-wicket hauls in an ODI. Like he did against them a year back at the same venue, these were no ordinary scalps. His hit-list began with Rohit, before he switched ends to account for Virat Kohli, Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer in the space of seven deliveries.

Rohit perished by going for an expansive sweep that only brushed his bat and Kusal Mendis pouched it safely. Kohli, like on Sunday, played the wrong line to an arm-ball with the angle. The bat was nowhere close to the pad. Axar lost his stumps by going back to a delivery he should have gone forward. And Shreyas, like Kohli, was guilty of playing for the non-existent turn, to be trapped in front. With Theekshana taking care of Rishabh Pant, who was in a hurry earlier on, India were six down even before the drinks were called. If India lost the plot in the first two ODIs after the first drinks break, on Wednesday they sealed their own fate.

Colombo: India’s Virat Kohli walks back after his dismissal during the third one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, in Colombo, Wednesday, August 7, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Coming in at No 9, Washington Sundar helped India cross the three-figure mark, but it wasn’t going to hide the thrashing that come unexpectedly. The traces of the team that made the finals of the World Cup less than a year ago was nowhere to be seen. Sweeping the defeat under the carpet would only be detrimental as their struggles against spinners seems endless.

Rohit, though, wasn’t fazed about their inability against spinners. “I don’t think it’s a concern. But it’s something we need to look at seriously, our individual gameplans, and it’s something that puts us under pressure. We lost the series, and I feel there are a lot of areas we need to look at, rather than the positives. We need to go back and look at what we need to do when we come up against conditions like these. A series lost doesn’t mean the end of the world,” Rohit said.

Fernando tornado

Earlier, with Avishka Fernando and Pathum Nissanka stitching together an 89-run stand, Sri Lanka reeled off a steady start. Though Nissanka perished for 45, Fernando stitched an 82-run second wicket partnership with Kusal Mendis, setting up a strong base for Sri Lanka. The dismissal of Fernando for 96, off debutant Riyan Parag, would alter Lanka’s course. Though a total of 270 looked possible, Fernando’s dismissal in the 36th over triggered a collapse. The hosts lost four wickets in a seven-over period as Parag’s three-wicket haul brought India back in control.

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But having taken the field with just lone pacer Mohammed Siraj, his expensive returns (9-0-78-1) meant India once again conceded whatever advantage the spinners had gained as Lanka posted the highest total of this series, which ensured a first series win over India this century.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 248/7 in 50 overs (Avishka 96, Mendis 59, Parag 3/54) beat India 138 in 26.1 overs (Rohit 35, Wellalage 5/27) by 110 runs.

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