After the first ODI of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka ended in a draw, the hosts showcased prowess in the following game to take a 1-0 lead. In the second ODI held at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on August 4, Sunday, Sri Lanka outplayed the tourists by 32 runs.
Speaking of the game Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka won the toss and opted to bat first. The hosts experienced a shaky start when Mohammed Siraj dismissed opener Pathum Nissanka in the first delivery of the match. However, Avishka Fernando and wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis added a 74-run partnership for the second wicket. Washington Sundar broke the standby dismissing Fernando for 40 runs in the final delivery of the 17th over and subsequently removed Mendis for 30 in the 19th over.
Sundar then picked his third wicket removing Asalanka, after Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav each picked up one wicket. Despite Arshdeep Singh’s below-par bowling performance other Indian bowlers ran riot and managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 240 runs in allotted 50 overs.
In reply, India got off to a flying start with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitching a 97-run partnership before the captain was dismissed by Jeffrey Vandersay in the 14th over. Rohit scored 64 off 44 deliveries which included five boundaries and four maximums. Vandersay continued his stunning performance, sending back Gill, Shivam Dube, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul respectively, leaving India at 147/6 in 24 overs.
Axar Patel offered some resistance for India, but Asalanka managed to dismiss him for 44. The Sri Lankan captain went on to dismiss two more Indian batters as the hosts limited India to 208 in 42.2 overs. Notably, this 32-run win against the T20 World Champions allowed Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series.
