Deepak Chahar's unbeaten fifty helps India beat Sri Lanka in nail-biting game

India’s Deepak Chahar carves one on the off-side en route his 69 not out in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday. Pic/AFP

India did the incredible for a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka to clinch the three-match ODI series here on Tuesday. The hero of the night was No. 8 batsman Deepak Chahar. Better known for his seam bowling, Chahar whacked an unbeaten 69 off 82 balls for India to get over the line. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was at the other end with a 28-ball 19.

India, chasing 276 for victory floundered despite good contributions from Krunal Pandya (35) and Suryakumar Yadav (53). Earlier, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal led India's decent effort with the ball as a self-destructing Sri Lanka slipped to 275-9. Pretty much like the series opener, most of the Sri Lankan batsmen got starts but failed to capitalise after the hosts opted to bat.

Asalanka scores 65

Avishka Fernando (50 off 71) and Charith Asalanka (65 off 68) struck fine half-centuries but the home team wasn't disciplined enough to post an imposing total. Chamika Karunaratne (44 not out off 33) came up with another timely cameo to take the team past 270. Chahal (3-50) was the pick of the bowlers while pacers Deepak Chahar (2-53) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-54) too got wickets primarily due to profligacy of the home team batsmen.

Shift of momentum

Openers Fernando (50 off 71) and Minod Bhanuka (36 off 42) took Sri Lanka to 59 for loss in the first 10 overs. The momentum shifted India's way drastically after Chahal removed Minod and Bhanuka Rajapaksa off successive balls in the 14th over. In Minod's case, it was a soft dismissal as the well set southpaw charged down the wicket and flicked an eventual full toss straight to Manish Pandey at mid-wicket. The next one from Chahal was a beauty which held its line to a take faint outside edge of Rajapaksa's bat and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan managed to clutch onto the catch. Sri Lanka struggled again in the crucial stage of the game.

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 275-9 in 50 overs (C Asalanka 65, A Fernando 50; Y Chahal 3-50, B Kumar 3-54, D Chahar 2-53) lost to India 277-7 in 49.1 overs (Chahar 69'; S Yadav 53; W Hasaranga 3-37) by 3 wickets

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