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With a commanding 110-run victory in the third and final ODI in Colombo, Sri Lanka won their first ODI bilateral series against India in 27 years. Avishka Fernando hit 96, the highest individual score of the series, and Dunith Wellalage claimed a five-for.
India lost nine wickets to spinners for the third game in a row, matching their highest total of 27 wickets lost in a three-match series. It was the climax of their struggles against spin during the previous week.
This time around, Wellalage led the destroyers with five for twenty-seven, but throughout the series, it has alternated between Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, and even Charith Asalanka. But India has never looked like they could consistently compete, save perhaps during Rohit Sharma’s now-expected top-order romps.
But this time, Wellalage caught Rohit trying to sweep before he could significantly reduce Sri Lanka’s score, thus even Rohit’s contribution was reduced to a short cameo (35 off 20).
Other than him, only three players reached double digits: Washington Sundar (20, 15, 30), Riyan Parag (20, 15), and Virat Kohli (20). Of those, only Washington’s innings attempted to reimpose any kind of pressure on the Lankan bowlers.
Avishka’s 96 off 102 earlier in the day had put Sri Lanka up so nicely that not even a collapse that saw them lose 28 runs for five wickets could derail their innings to any meaningful end; yet, India’s difficulties placed an even greater premium on that performance.
During his innings, Sri Lanka didn’t have a superior spin game compared to the competition; instead, they were able to take full use of the seamers’ possibilities.
In this instance, Mohammed Siraj was dismissed for his joint-worst ODI stats of 78 for 1 off nine overs, while Shivam Dube managed just nine runs off his four overs. And 36 of those 78, or a strike rate of 200, were attributable to Avishka.
However, Siraj’s mistakes in lines and lengths were more to blame for this than anything Avishka did to turn him down. However, these are the margins that need to be taken advantage of on uneven terrain like those found at Khettarama.
However, Parag was making a memorable debut, while Siraj was having a rough time. With a leg break that slid over his front pad and another that gripped, straightened, and skidded to trap Charith Asalanka on the crease, he took the crucial wicket of Avishka.
But the ballplayer who posed the most threat, Wellalage, was struck out by a delivery that dipped and turned, pitched middle and spun past the outside edge to knock back off stump.
Though Sri Lanka put together two solid stands at the top of the order, Parag and his spin allies would have to wait patiently for their rewards. In addition to Avishka, Pathum Nissanka (45) and Kusal Mendis (59) contributed significantly, but Sri Lanka’s middle order collapsed quickly and unexpectedly, much like in the previous two matches.
They stammered from 171 for 1 to 199 for 6. They managed to score just 49 runs in the 36 overs that they lost Avishka in, and from midway through the 48 overs, or 72 deliveries, they managed to score no boundaries at all.
Luckily for them, Mendis, one of Sri Lanka’s top spinners, was available at the finish and he could deliver some potent hits to help drive the score closer to 240. Considering the strong start given by Avishka and company, the score appeared competitive but ultimately proved sufficient.