In a gripping encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka clinched a crucial 32-run victory against India in the second ODI, thanks to an exceptional six-wicket haul by Jeffrey Vandersay and a pivotal batting performance by Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis. This victory not only propelled Sri Lanka to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series but also ended India’s impressive run of 11 consecutive bilateral ODI series wins against Sri Lanka, a streak that dates back to December 1997.
Opting to bat first on a slow and low pitch, Sri Lanka found themselves in deep trouble at 136/6. However, a resilient 72-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Wellalage and Mendis helped them post a competitive total of 240/9. Wellalage scored a crucial 39, while Mendis contributed 40, allowing Sri Lanka to set a challenging target.
India’s chase began with an explosive start from captain Rohit Sharma, who notched up a 29-ball fifty, his fourth within the first ten overs of an ODI. Sharma and Shubman Gill put up a strong 97-run partnership for the first wicket, putting India in a commanding position early on. Sharma’s aggressive knock included 5 fours and 4 sixes, significantly reducing the target and setting up the chase with high expectations.
However, the departure of Rohit Sharma triggered a dramatic collapse for India. Vandersay’s entrance into the attack proved to be a game-changer. He took all six of the first Indian wickets to fall, marking the first time in ODI history that the first six dismissals were claimed by a spinner. Shubman Gill and Shivam Dube were the first to fall, with Gill being caught by a one-handed stunner from Mendis and Dube trapped lbw by a legbreak.
Vandersay’s magical spell didn’t stop there. Virat Kohli was dismissed for the second time in consecutive innings to a spinner, falling lbw to a flipper. Vandersay then completed his maiden five-wicket haul by trapping Shreyas Iyer with a googly. His final scalp was KL Rahul, who chopped onto his stumps, leaving Vandersay with outstanding figures of 6 for 33.
Despite a late fightback from Washington Sundar and Axar Patel, who added a 38-run stand, Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka snuffed out any remaining hopes by dismissing both batsmen in consecutive overs. India was ultimately all out for 208 in 42.
.2 overs, with nine of the ten Indian wickets falling to spinners. Sundar’s valiant 30 and Axar’s 25 were not enough as Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept their nerves and delivered when it mattered most.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka’s innings got off to a wobbly start as they lost the in-form Pathum Nissanka on the very first ball to a Mohammed Siraj outswinger. Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis tried to stabilize the innings with a cautious 74-run partnership for the second wicket. Washington Sundar broke the stand with a caught-and-bowled effort off Fernando and followed it up with the wicket of Kusal Mendis in his next over.
Sri Lanka’s middle-order faltered against India’s spinners. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka failed to handle the spin threat, both falling victim to Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav respectively. Samarawickrama mistimed a slog to midwicket, while Asalanka was caught off-guard by a sharp-turning delivery offering a simple catch to short third man. Kuldeep Yadav’s late introduction into the attack proved effective with a miserly spell, culminating in the wicket of Janith Liyanage.
At 136/6, Sri Lanka seemed to be in serious trouble, but Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis staged a late recovery. Mendis, who was dropped on 11 by Shivam Dube, capitalized on the reprieve and along with Wellalage set about frustrating the Indian bowlers. The partnership saw some aggressive intent, with Wellalage hitting a four and a six off Axar Patel and another six off Siraj. Mendis played a vital supporting role before being run out off the penultimate ball of the innings, thanks to a sharp effort from Shreyas Iyer.
The final touches to the innings came from Akila Dananjaya, who along with Mendis, ensured a late flurry of boundaries. The last ten overs yielded 79 runs for Sri Lanka, a critical factor in their eventual total. The seamers, despite delivering a disciplined performance early on, conceded heavily towards the end, a stark contrast to the spinners’ combined haul of 112/6 in their 31 overs.
Sri Lanka’s victory has set the tone for the remainder of the series, bringing an end to a long-standing Indian dominance in bilateral series. The hosts will now look to carry this momentum forward, while India must regroup quickly to turn the series around.