Sri Lanka’s spin quartet engineered a dramatic collapse to tie the opening ODI against India at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.
Chasing a modest target of 231, India seemed poised for victory but astonishingly failed to score the winning run despite having 14 balls remaining.
As India approached the end of their innings, tension mounted. Shivam Dube, who had played a crucial role in reviving India’s chances, hit a boundary in the 48th over to level the scores.
However, in a stunning turn of events, Dube and Arshdeep Singh fell victim to Charith Asalanka’s successive LBW deliveries, leaving India stunned and the match tantalizingly tied.
In the post-match presentation, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his disappointment with the outcome. “The score was gettable but you have to bat well to get that. We batted well in patches but there was no consistent momentum. We started well but knew the game would start once spin comes on. We lost a few wickets and fell behind. We came back through the stand between Axar [Patel] and [KL] Rahul. Disappointed to not get that one run with 14 balls, but I won’t read too much.”
Rohit Sharma acknowledged the challenging conditions, highlighting the importance of applying oneself in the middle. “The bite was there at the start and then the ball became softer as the seam wore off. It was not a game where you can play your shots (straightway). You had to apply yourself and dig in. Proud of how we fought but it was important to hold our nerves,” the skipper added, reflecting on the need for composure in such high-pressure situations.
