India defeated Sri Lanka by 41 runs at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday to book their place in the final of the 2023 Asia Cup.
India have four points from two games, leaving Sri Lanka and Pakistan to battle it out to set up the summit clash of the continental tournament.
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Jasprit Bumrah was the first with a breakthrough, after a minor scare when he twisted his ankle. Dasun Nissanka (6 off 7 balls)was caught behind by KL Rahul, who was finally donning the gloves instead of Ishan Kishan.
Kusal Mendis (15 off 16 balls) was next with Bumrah again striking as the Sri Lankan batter lobbed a simple catch to the substitute fielder Suryakumar Yadav.
Mohammed Siraj got in on the act too, removing Dimuth Karunaratne (2 off 18 balls) as his patience had run thin and he edged it to Shubman Gill in the slips.
Sri Lanka were rocked by the Indian pacers, ending the powerplay at 39-3.
Once Rohit turned to his spinners, the going got harder for the Sri Lankans.
Kuldeep Yadav got Sadeera Samarawickrama (17 off 31 balls) after some beautiful glovework from Rahul and almost telegraphing the way to get the wicket mere deliveries prior. Kuldeep picked up the wicket of Charith Asalanka (22 off 35 balls) too with some good work behind the stumps from Rahul.
After half the side were sent back, Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva and captain Dasun Shanaka tried to fight back before Rohit Sharma called back Ravindra Jadeja to sent his opposite number packing.
Dhananjaya and Dunith Wellalage fought back with a 63-run partnership off just 75 balls but Jadeja again proved to be the difference.
Having bowled his heart out for most of the innings, Hardik Pandya managed to get Maheesh Theekshana as Suryakumar took a stunning catch at mid-on.
Kuldeep clean bowled Kasun Rajitha as Matheesha Pathirana soon followed. Wellalage stayed unbeaten on 42.
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Earlier, the Lankan duo of Dunith Wellalage and part-timer Charith Asalanka spun a web around the Indian batters on a turning track, restricting them to a sub-par 213.
Left-arm spinner Wellalage (5/40), all of 20, and offie Asalanka (4/18) knifed through the star-studded line-up after India opted to bat.
But before spinners exploited the generous turn and grip on the Premadasa pitch, India started their innings in a blazing fashion.
Rohit Sharma, who made 53 off 48 balls, added 80 runs for the opening wicket with Shubman Gill (19), and that remained the brightest phase of the Indian innings.
Watching Rohit and Gill adding those runs in just 12 overs rekindled the memories of India’s blitz against Pakistan on Monday, when they posted a massive 356 for two.
During his innings, the Indian captain also went past a significant personal milestone, becoming the sixth Indian batsmen to score 10000 runs in ODIs.
The landmark came in a befitting fashion too, as Rohit lifted pacer Kasun Rajita over his head for a majestic six.
Other Indian batsmen to reach the mark are: Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Indeed, a magnificent company to be in!
However, the introduction of Wellalage changed the whole complexion of the game as the spinner halted Indian batsmen’s charge.
Gill was the first to go. The opener played a forward defence without entirely covering the line and once the ball beat his bat, Gill’s fate was sealed.
Wellalage, a former under-19 captain of his country, then went on to show why he has been spoken so highly in Lankan cricketing circles.
He bowled a straight, quick delivery and Rohit could not bring his bat down on time, as the ball rearranged his timber.
But Wellalage wasn’t finished yet. He added the wickets of Virat Kohli (3), KL Rahul (39), who added 63 runs with Ishan Kishan (33) for the fourth wicket, and Hardik Pandya (5) to his kitty for his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket.
None of the following batsmen also could effectively negate the uneven bounce and turn on the pitch, as Asalanka wreaked havoc.
His delivery to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja would carry a lot of repeat value.
The ball reared from the length, turned and bounced viciously to take an edge of Jadeja’s bat before nestling in stumper Kusal Mendis’ gloves.
India face Bangladesh in their last Super 4 clash on Thursday at the same venue.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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