In a reminder of the recently concluded Asia Cup, where India bowled out Sri Lanka for 50 runs in the final, Team India once again bundled out the Lankan Tigers for 55 runs, to win the match by a huge 302 runs. Chasing a target of 358 runs, Sri Lankan batsmen never looked comfortable against Indian bowlers. With this win, India have reached the semi-final.
Shami, Siraj ran through Sri Lankan batting line-up
Mohammed Shami, the man who scripted Thursday’s win took five wickets fo 18 runs in just 5 overs. He was well supported by Mohammed Siraj, who took three wickets for 16 runs in seven overs. Other bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja also took one wicket each.
However, it was the experienced campaigner, Virat Kohli, opener Shubhman Gill and Shreyas Iyer helpe the side to put a big total on board after Sri Lanka invited Men in Blue to bat first at the toss. After losing skipper Rohit Sharma’s wicket early, both Kohli and Gill built a strong partnership for the second wicket to create a strong base for other batsmen to follow.
Notable contributions from Team India batsmen
While together they put on an 189-run partnership for the second wicket, Kohli contributed 88 runs from 94 deliveries, and Gill scored 92 runs. Soon after Gills’s departure in the 30th over, Kohli also followed him to the pavilion in the 32nd over of the innings.
Sri Lankan bowlers failed to capitalise on the situation as Iyer soon took it from there to score 2 runs off 56 deliveries that included three boundaries and six huge sixes. Not to miss the run riot, Ravindra Jadeja also contributed 35 runs off 41 deliveries. His innings included a boundary and a six.
In their reply, Sri Lanka never recovered from the early jots as their first four batsmen were out for just three runs in 3.1 overs. Of them, Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne were both dismissed for ducks each. Only the team’s experienced campaigners, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, and Kasun Rajitha reached two figures. While Mathews and Theekshana contributed 12 runs each, Rajitha remained not out for 12 runs.