Spinner Dunith Wellalage’s exceptional five-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka to win the third and final ODI against India by 110 runs.
In a surprising turn of events, the Indian batting lineup faltered dramatically against the wily Sri Lankan spinners, led by Dunith Wellalage’s exceptional five-wicket haul. This led to a crushing 110-run defeat for Rohit Sharma’s team in the third and final ODI in Colombo on Wednesday. With this victory, Sri Lanka clinched the three-match series 2-0, marking their first bilateral ODI series win over India since 1997.
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Chasing a target of 249 on a spin-friendly pitch at Premadasa, India collapsed to a disappointing 138 in just 26.1 overs, presenting a tough challenge for the new head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Wellalage, who had already troubled India with the bat, proved even more lethal with the ball, claiming five wickets for 27 runs. Earlier, opener Avishka Fernando’s well-crafted 96 guided Sri Lanka to a total of 248 for seven.
India’s chase began promisingly despite Shubman Gill’s early dismissal, thanks to Rohit Sharma’s rapid 35 off 20 balls, which included an 18-run over off Maheesh Theekshana. However, Rohit’s favored sweep shot led to his downfall, caught by Kusal Mendis off Wellalage.
Following Rohit’s departure, the Indian batting order unravelled. Virat Kohli (20) misjudged a delivery from Wellalage, resulting in an LBW decision. Rishabh Pant, returning to ODIs after a car accident, was stumped by Kusal off Theekshana. Debutant Riyan Parag was bowled by Jeffrey Vandersay, further complicating India’s situation.
Shreyas Iyer also fell to Wellalage, bringing the tally of LBW and bowled dismissals to seven, highlighting the Indian batsmen’s struggles.
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Post-match, Theekshana commented on the advantage of playing on the larger Premadasa ground and the turning pitch, contrasting it with India’s familiarity with smaller grounds and better batting conditions.
Sri Lanka’s innings had been anchored by Fernando (96 off 102 balls) and Kusal (59 off 82 balls), supported by Pathum Nissanka (45 off 65 balls). Despite an excellent off-spin spell from Parag (3/54) and support from Kuldeep Yadav (1/36), India struggled to contain the Lankan batsmen.
Fernando’s partnerships, first with Nissanka (89 runs) and then with Kusal (82 runs), provided a solid foundation. Nissanka’s aggressive strokes, including two slog-swept sixes off Axar Patel, ended when he hit a wide delivery to Pant.
Fernando, who capitalized on Siraj’s wayward bowling (1/65 in 8 overs), was finally dismissed by Parag, missing his fourth ODI century. At 171 for two in the 36th over, Sri Lanka seemed poised for a massive total but Parag’s key wickets, including skipper Charith Asalanka (10) and Wellalage (2), halted their momentum.
Despite this, Kusal and Kamindu Mendis added 36 crucial runs for the seventh wicket, setting a formidable challenge for India, who ultimately fell short.
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