[Saba Sports News] India was outclassed by Sri Lanka by 32 runs in the second ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 4. Chasing a target of 241, India started strong with Rohit Sharma‘s explosive 64 off 44 on a slow track. At 97 runs in 13.2 overs with nine wickets in hand, India seemed set, but the team collapsed after Rohit’s departure.
India needed just 144 runs in 219 balls after Rohit was out, but they only managed 64 runs in the next 29 overs, losing all their wickets. Shubman Gill contributed 35 off 44, and Axar Patel added a substantial 44 runs. Rohit emphasized the need for consistent cricket.
“When you lose a game, everything hurts. It’s not just about those 10 overs. You have to play consistent cricket, and we failed to do that today. Little disappointed, but these things happen. You have to adapt to what’s in front of you,” said Rohit as quoted by RCB’s official website.
“With left-right, we felt it would be easier to rotate strike. Credit to Jeffrey, he got six wickets. The reason I got 64 is because of the way I batted. When I am batting like that, there’s a lot of risks taken. If you don’t cross the line, you always feel disappointed,” he added.
India will face Sri Lanka in the third ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 7. With Sri Lanka leading the series 1-0, India needs a win to level the series. A victory for Sri Lanka would mark their first ODI series win against India since 1997.