New Delhi: It was not the desired star that Gautam Gambhir would’ve expected in his first ODI clash as India head coach against Sri Lanka, as the side failed to chase a decent score of 231 in 50 overs and the match ended in a thrilling tie. Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka clinched two wickets of Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh in the last over which was god enough to snatch victory from India’s hands.
In the run-chase of 231 runs, Indian captain Rohit Sharma, alongside opener Shubman Gill, set the tone with a blistering start. Rohit smashed Asitha Fernando for a four and a six in the opening over, then clobbered Mohamed Shiraz for 15 runs in the fourth over, including two more boundaries and a six. The Indian duo propelled India to the 50-run mark in just 5.3 overs.
By the 10th over, Rohit had reached a scintillating half-century in 33 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes, with India at a commanding 71/0. But Dunith Wellalage soon made his mark, dismissing Gill for 16 and ending the 75-run opening stand. Rohit followed shortly after, falling to Wellalage for 58, leaving India at 80/2 in 14.2 overs.
Washington Sundar, promoted to number four, failed to deliver as expected, falling lbw to Dhananjaya for just five runs. India was then 87/3 in 15.4 overs. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer sought to stabilize the innings, and India crossed the 100-run mark in 18.3 overs. Despite some stylish strokes, Kohli was dismissed for 24 by Hasaranga, and Shreyas soon followed for 23, reducing India to 132/5.
KL Rahul and Axar Patel took charge of the chase, forging a crucial 57-run partnership. Their stand saw India reach 150 in 30.1 overs. However, Hasaranga and Asalanka struck again, dismissing Rahul for 31 and Axar for 33. With just 14 balls remaining, Dube and Kuldeep pushed India towards victory, but Asalanka’s crucial breakthroughs left India needing one run from the final over with just one wicket remaining.
In a nail-biting conclusion, Arshdeep was bowled out on the first ball of the final over, ending the match in a tie. Asalanka (3/30) and Hasaranga (3/58) emerged as the standout bowlers for Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Sri Lanka set a competitive target of 231/8, thanks to resilient performances from Dunith Wellalage and Pathum Nissanka. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Sri Lanka’s innings saw an early breakthrough by Mohammed Siraj, dismissing Avishka Fernando for just seven runs. Nissanka’s 56 and Wellalage’s explosive 66 helped the hosts reach a challenging total, despite contributions from other key batsmen falling short.
Axar Patel was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming two wickets for 33 runs in his 10-over spell. Shubman Gill’s brief bowling stint was a surprising highlight, though he conceded 14 runs in his single over.
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