Sri Lanka’s aspiration to clinch their first ODI series victory against India in nearly three decades seems well within reach, with a solid target of 249 runs established, largely credited to Avishka Fernando’s impressive knock of 96. The dry pitch at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo appears ready to pose another significant challenge to the Indian team, who have already faltered chasing targets of 231 and 241 in the previous two ODIs, respectively.
Choosing to bat first for the third consecutive game, Sri Lanka got off to a robust start thanks to openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando, who put together a significant 89-run stand. Nissanka, known for his aggressive style, took charge early on, hitting four boundaries in the initial overs bowled by Mohammed Siraj, who was India’s lone pacer in this match. India had opted to drop Arshdeep Singh in favor of Riyan Parag, who was making his ODI debut, to bolster their middle-order batting. Additionally, Rishabh Pant was brought in as a replacement for KL Rahul.
Axar Patel was the one to break the formidable opening partnership in the 20th over, sending Nissanka back to the pavilion with a top-edged slog-sweep. Despite this, another sturdy partnership began to form, with Fernando taking the lead. His performance stood out as he notched up an attractive half-century off 65 balls. Though he had a more sluggish start against the pacers, he shone through against the spinners. Upon encountering Siraj in his second spell, Fernando didn’t hold back, smashing a boundary and a couple of sixes within the span of five balls. As he appeared to be on the verge of a well-deserved century, Fernando played back to a full leg break from Riyan Parag, giving the debutant his maiden ODI wicket.
Parag continued to impact the game by trapping Charith Asalanka leg-before-wicket (lbw), triggering a significant collapse for Sri Lanka. They went from a promising 171/1 to a precarious 199/6 as Washington Sundar and Siraj captured crucial wickets. Parag ended with three wickets in total, adding Dunith Wellalage (bowled) as his third victim, contributing significantly to India’s dominance in the latter half of the middle overs. However, as witnessed in the first two ODIs, Sri Lanka once again managed to find a key player to step up during the final overs.
. This time, it was Kusal Mendis, who played a vital role. The No.3 batter crafted his fifty off 77 balls and helped his team add 31 more runs in the final three overs, ensuring Sri Lanka achieved a strong total on a challenging pitch.
Mendis’s maturity and composure at the crease proved crucial as he deftly maneuvered the Indian bowlers, finding gaps and rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. His ability to handle pressure situations became evident once again, providing a finishing touch to the innings that could prove decisive. With contributions from both young talents like Fernando and seasoned campaigners like Mendis, Sri Lanka presented a balanced and resilient front.
On the Indian side, Riyan Parag’s promising debut, marked by three crucial wickets, offered a silver lining amidst the challenge. His emergence as a handy part-time bowler bolstered a spin-heavy attack, which also saw significant contributions from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. However, the challenge remains for India’s batting lineup, which has struggled to chase middling targets in the previous encounters.
The dry surface at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has consistently tested both teams’ skill sets, but Sri Lanka’s top and middle-order performances have shown better adaptability to the conditions so far. This 248/7 total is largely a testament to the team’s depth and flexibility, capable of adjusting strategies as per the demands of the game.
As the curtain rises for the second innings, all eyes will be on India’s response to the challenging target. The team will need a coherent strategy and significant contributions from key players to avoid another collapse and keep the series alive. For Sri Lanka, the focus will be on their bowling unit to defend the given total and clinch a historic series win, marking a monumental achievement in their cricketing chronicles.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 248/7 (Fernando 96, Mendis 59, Nissanka 45; Parag 3-54) vs India.