Cuttack: A few years back during a round table discussion former cricketer-turned-commentator Arun Lal had said, “Even limited overs cricket can be very boring.” As an example he had cited the 2003 World Cup final in South Africa when Australia had put up a 350-plus score and virtually put India out of the game.
A resemblance of that sort unfurled at the Barabati Stadium here, Wednesday as India hammered Sri Lanka by 93 runs in the first game of the three-match T20 series. But even before the Sri Lankan innings started for the chase of the 181-run victory target, it was quite evident that their effort would be futile.
On a double-paced pitch where there were enough turn for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (4/23) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/18), the Sri Lankans caved in meekly and were bowled out for 87. They failed to bat their full quota of 20 overs and even though, the 43,000-odd crowd went happy, there were disappointments in their ranks about the way the visitors had surrendered. “It was a one-sided contest… have never seen such one-sided games in the T20 format,” lamented a kid of 17-18 while leaving the venue.
Sri Lanka were out of the game by the 10th over itself with half their side back in the hut with a mere 58 runs on board as Chahal and Kuldeep spun a web around them. What was surprising was the amount of turn they extracted even with the wet ball. “Not difficult for us,” Chahal said after the game before adding, “We regularly bowl at the nets with a wet ball so we are prepared for any situation.”
The Sri Lanka batters, to be frank did not have the technique to tackle the two wrist spinners. They failed to read either of them and perished. The ball with which Chahal dismissed Angelo Mathews would have made it any leggie proud. It hung in the air that wee bit longer… Mathew on to the drive was beaten by the flight and could only hit a low return catch for the bowler to pick it up and start his celebrations. The same happened with Kusal Perera against Kuldeep also, the batsman failing to read the turn and just managing to edge the ball through to MS Dhoni.
Amid the pressure created by the spinners, Hardik Pandya (3/23) made merry prospered as he ran through the tail in quick succession to end Sri Lanka’s misery. The slide had been started by comeback man Jaidev Unadkat, who dismissed Niroshan Dickwella in the second over of the innings.
Earlier India rode on knocks from KL Rahul (61, 48b, 7×4, 1×6), Dhoni (39 n o, 22b, 4×4, 1×6) and Manish Pandey (32 n o, 18b, 2×4, 2×6) to post a challenging 180 for three in their 20 overs.
Rahul dominated from the start with crisp shots on both sides of the wicket. Sri Lanka had an early success when they had Rohit Sharma caught by Dushmantha Chameera at mid-wicket while trying a hook.
But then Rahul and Shreyas Iyer put on 63 runs for the second wicket to steady the ship. Even though, they fell within 11 balls of another, they had set up the platform for Dhoni and Pandey.
India reached 148 in the 18th over and till then Sri Lanka had some semblance of control. But in the last two overs, Dhoni and Pandey went berserk getting 32 runs. Dhoni finished off the innings with a lovely hoik over the mid-wicket fence while Pandey in the 19th over had played a lovely dabble over third man for a six.
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