Skipper Rohit Sharma top scores with 53 on turning track as India post second win in consecutive days to beat SL by 41 runs; Lankan Wellalage’s all round show in vain
India skipper Rohit Sharma during his 53 against Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday. Pic/AP, PTI
India started both, their batting and bowling stints against Sri Lanka, on a rousing note, but the hosts fought back brilliantly in both disciplines at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
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Playing for the third day in a row, India showed no signs of physical or mental fatigue during the early stages of their Asia Cup Super 4 encounter against the hosts, but once Shubman Gill was dismissed after a roaring 80-run alliance with his captain Rohit Sharma, they were choked by the assortment of Sri
Lanka’s spinners.
Wellage 42 not out
Dunith Wellalage led the way for Sri Lanka with his maiden fifer, then followed it up with a beautifully crafted unbeaten 42, but that wasn’t enough to prevent India coming through by 41 runs to seal their place in the final. Chasing India’s 213, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 172 with eight-and-a-half overs to spare.
Plenty will be heard of Wellalage, who led Sri Lanka at the Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies in January last year, in future. The 20-year-old showed great smarts and control, not getting carried away by the assistance he received from the pitch, sticking to his disciplines and feeding on the uncertainty of the batsmen.
He evicted Gill with a peach with his first delivery, a ripper that drifted in, pitched on middle and leg, gripped and turned to hit off. It was the first indication of what was to come. Virat Kohli, fresh off a century against Pakistan, perished in the little left-arm spinner’s next over before Rohit, who had smashed the pacers to smithereens, became Wellalage’s third victim in as many overs, bowled off a delivery that kept low.
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From 80 without loss, India had slumped to 91 for three, and though Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul stemmed the rot with a partnership of 63, that was all India had to show during the second half of their innings.
Indian batting crumbles
From 154 for three, they were shot out for 213. Wellalage finished with five for 40 while his predecessor as national Under-19 skipper, Charith Asalanka, picked up for four 18 with his very occasional off-spin.
Rain interrupted India’s innings after 47 overs, and a little dampness and the fact that the covers had been on for nearly 45 minutes took some of the spin demons out of the pitch. Rohit trusted his pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to do the job and they didn’t disappoint, reducing the Lankans to 25 for three. Kuldeep Yadav then got into the act with two crucial sticks to leave the hosts floundering at 99 for six, their hopes again resting on the slender shoulders of Wellalege and the more experienced head of Dhananjaya de Silva.
Bit by painstaking bit, they repelled India through commonsense batting. No praise can be too high for the composure Wellalage in particular displayed.
Near full house
A near full house cheered every run until de Silva clubbed Ravindra Jadeja to mid-on after a stand of 63. India sensed the moment and homed in for the kill, Wellalage stranded as the tail was lopped off in a trice.
80
The opening stand by India’s Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in 11 overs
5-40
SL left-arm spinner Dunith Wellage’s match figures
Brief scores
India 213 all out in 49.1 overs (R Sharma 53, KL Rahul 39; D Wellalage 5-40, C Asalanka 4-18) beat Sri Lanka 172 all out in 41.3 overs (D Wellalage 42*, De Silva 41; K Yadav 4-43, Jasprit Bumrah 2-30, Ravindra Jadeja 2-33) by 41 runs
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