Page 43 - The Indian EYE 080924

SPORTS AUGUST 09, 2024 | The Indian Eye 43

INDIA IN SRI LANKA

New era under coach

Gautam Gambhir and captain SKY

begins with a bang

Sri Lanka enjoyed a good run in Mendis’ captaincy in the ODI format.

The 29-year-old has been in good touch with the bat and guided Sri Lanka to five consecutive home

match triumphs against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe

OUR BUREAU
Pallekele
ndia captain Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku
Singh turned out to be the unlikely heroes with
Ithe ball for the visitors, and Washington Sundar
applied the finishing touches in all departments to
seal off a win in the Super Over in the third T20I at
the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
The new era under Suryakumar Yadav and
head coach Gautam Gambhir began with a 3-0 T20I
series win over Sri Lanka. India decided to change
the winning combination and made four changes in
the playing XI. Despite tottering with the bat, India
relied on their high-risk, high-reward approach, and
eventually, it paid off.
While chasing 138, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal
Mendis stitched up an opening 58-run stand to set
the tone of the game.
Ravi Bishnoi got the breakthrough in the ninth
over, raising hopes for an unprecedented come-
back. Bishnoi returned to remove Mendis (43) by
trapping him in front of the stumps.
Washington Sundar removed Wanindu Hasa-
ranga and Charith Asalanka on back-to-back deliv-
eries to turn the tides in India’s favour.
With nine runs needed off 12 balls, Suryakumar
Yadav gambled on Rinku Singh, and he delivered India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and teammate Arshdeep Singh celebrate a dismissal during the 2nd T20I match
when the situation demanded most. against Sri Lanka, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (ANI)
In a single over, Rinku sent set-batter Kusal
Perera (46) and then Ramesh Mendis (3) back to
the dugout to bring the equation down to six runs Chamindu Wickramasinghe set the tone early in the in good touch with the bat and guided Sri Lanka
in six balls. game by finishing off his four overs in a single spell to five consecutive home match triumphs against
Suryakumar took the ball in his hand and and removed Sanju Samson for a four-ball duck. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. However, they lost to
claimed two wickets in a row, bringing the equa- Meanwhile, Sri Lanka announced their 16-play- Bangladesh by 2-1 in an away series.
tion down to three runs on the final ball. Chamindu er squad for the upcoming ODI series against India, Test batter Nishan Madushka, 24, has been
Wickramasinghe picked up a double on the final which will kick off on Friday at R Premadasa Stadi- included in the squad after his impressive perfor-
ball to take the game to Super Over. um, Colombo. Kusal Mendis has been replaced as mances in the red-ball format.
Washington Sundar weaved magic, gave away the skipper of the side by Charith Asalanka, who led Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera, who
two runs, and removed Kusal Mendis and Nissanka Sri Lanka in the three T20Is as well. was ruled out of the T20I series due to bronchitis
to restrict Sri Lanka to two runs. In the T20I format, Sri Lanka’s star spinner and respiratory infection, will also miss the three
Surykuamar pulled off a sweep to find the fence Wanindu Hasaranga was leading the side. Howev- ODIs against India.
to complete the whitewash over Sri Lanka in the er, he decided to step down from his position after Along with Chameera, Nuwan Thushara will
T20Is. their early exit from the T20 World Cup last month. also miss the 50-over series after he fractured his
After being put to bat by Sri Lanka, India got re- Sri Lanka enjoyed a good run in Mendis’ cap- thumb during training ahead of the beginning of the
duced to 35/4 at the end of the powerplay. Debutant taincy in the ODI format. The 29-year-old has been bilateral series against India.

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