Pallekele: The ability to battle against all odds and win games gives a team the tag of ‘greatness’. It would be too early to say the same thing about the present Indian cricket team. But the way, they pulled off a miraculous three-wicket win over Sri Lanka here in the second ODI, only great sides can achieve that.
Chasing a target of 231 in 47 overs (DLS method) after a rain interruption, India were cruising at 109 without loss with Rohit Sharma (54, 45b, 5×4, 3×6) and Shikhar Dhawan (49, 50b, 6×4, 1×6) putting the Lankan bowling to the sword. However, India then lost seven wickets for next to nothing and were reduced to 131 for seven. Suddenly victory seemed a very distant target.
Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya (6/54), playing only his fourth ODI had then run through the entire top and middle-order picking up six wickets in six overs. The writing was on the wall and with 100 still required for victory in walked Bhubaneswar Kumar at No.9.
What transpired next was simply miraculous. With MS Dhoni (45 n o, 68b, 1×4) nursing him well Bhuvi (53 n o, 80b, 4×4, 1×6) got his maiden ODI half century. The two put on India’s best ever stand of 100 runs for the eighth wicket as the visitors slowly but surely overcame the Dananjaya scare to win the game. A match that at one time had appeared long gone was suddenly in the bag. For once they had to fight in a game during the ODI series and the Indians showed that they were ready for any skirmish.
However, Dananjaya would consider himself unlucky as he did not get support from the other bowlers. India were on the other hand lucky as with a little more than 57-odd to achieve victory, Dhoni played on off Viswa Fernando. The ball hit the base of the stumps but failed to dislodge the bails. Probably it was the sign of things to come for Sri Lanka.
Earlier Indian bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah (4/43) once more put up a great show to restrict the hosts to restrict the hosts to 236 for eight in their 50 overs. Only Milinda Siriwardana (58, 58b, 2×4, 1×6) and experienced Chamara Kapugedera (40, 61b, 2×4) were the only Sri Lankan batsman to offer some resistance. The two put on 91 runs for the sixth wicket to bring a semblance of respectability to the hosts’ total.
Agencies
