SAJEEWA JAYAKODY
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka faced a disastrous blow in the ICC World Cup history as they were bundled out for a mere 55 runs by India’s powerful bowling attack. The match took place at Wankhede on Thursday, where India showcased an exceptional performance, securing an unbeaten 302-run win and solidifying their spot in the semi-finals, becoming the first team to do so in this World Cup.
Chasing a daunting target of 358 runs, Sri Lanka struggled and crumbled, echoing their performance in the previous encounter during the Asia Cup final in September. Their batting lineup faced a tough challenge against India’s three-pronged seamers. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah dismantled the top four batters, while Mohammed Shami sealed the deal with a five-wicket haul, earning the title of ICC Player of the Match.
Sri Lanka’s batters found it immensely challenging to handle India’s pace battery in the seaming conditions, especially under the floodlights. Throughout the series, history has shown that chasing a target over 350 runs is particularly difficult, and Sri Lanka struggled once again.
The top order of Sri Lanka collapsed rapidly: Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne were dismissed for ducks with lbw decisions, while skipper Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama followed suit, unable to withstand the pressure of India’s exceptional bowling.
Expectations were high for Charith Asalanka and experienced Angelo Mathews to steady the match, but unfortunately, they couldn’t display the maturity needed. Mathews fell victim to Shami’s delivery while Asalanka was caught at point.
Ultimately, Sri Lanka’s inning ended at a mere 55 runs, avoiding the ignominy of the lowest total (35) in ICC World Cup history thanks to the contributions of Maheesh Theekshana and Kasun Rajitha, who managed to surpass that mark by scoring 12 and 14 runs respectively.
The match witnessed a dominant performance from India, securing their place in the semi-finals while leaving Sri Lanka grappling with one of their most disappointing performances in ICC World Cup history.
Earlier, Sri Lankan bowlers, notably Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera, showcased impressive bowling skills, but early drop catches proved costly as Indian batters Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli built a formidable 189-run partnership for the second wicket, setting a target of 358 for Sri Lanka.
The match commenced with Dilshan Madushanka dismantling Rohit Sharma’s off stump in the first over. Both Madushanka and Chameera exerted pressure on Kohli and Gill. Chameera troubled Kohli on multiple occasions, but luck wasn’t on Sri Lanka’s side as a couple of half chances were dropped, which could have changed the course of the game.
The pivotal 189-run partnership between Kohli and Gill propelled India to a colossal score of 357/8 in their 50 overs. Shreyas Iyer’s explosive innings of 82 off 56 balls accelerated India past the 300-run mark, while Ravindra Jadeja’s late onslaught helped them cross the 350-run mark.
Despite leaking runs initially, Sri Lankan seamers, especially Madushanka and Chameera, displayed brilliance during the Power Plays. Madushanka’s five-wicket haul marked a significant achievement, making him the fifth Sri Lankan fast bowler in ICC World Cup history to accomplish this feat, following Ashantha de Mel (twice), Chaminda Vaas, and Lasith Malinga. Madushanka’s comeback deliveries notably improved to claim wickets when given the ball.
India’s dominant batting performance and late flourish set a challenging target for Sri Lanka despite the initial brilliance shown by their bowlers.
Chief scores:
India: 357/8 in 50 overs (Shubman Gill 92, Virat Kohli 88, Shreyas Iyer 82, Ravindra Jadeja 35, KL Rahul 21, Dilshan Madushanka 80/5).
Sri Lanka:55 all out in 19.4 overs (Kasun Rajitha 14, Maheesh Theekshana 12, Angelo Mathews 12, Mohammed Shami 5/18, Mohammed Siraj 3/16).
