Team India registered a comprehensive 4-wicket win in the 2nd One-day international match against visiting Sri Lanka side on spicy Eden Garden, Kolkata on 12 January 2023.
Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bat first. The pitch looked good for batting as debutant Nuwindu Fernando and Kusal Mendis steadied the ship after losing an early wicket. The Indian bowlers kept picking wickets at regular intervals to skittle out Sri Lanka to a modest total of 215.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill began the innings aggressively before they lost 4 wickets quickly. The Indian middle order looked impressive taking the team to a comfortable win as they sealed the 3-match ODI series with 1 game remaining.
Here are the 3 Takeaways for Team India in the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka:
- Mohammed Siraj’s superb bowling effort
Mohammed Siraj showed his class one more time in ODI cricket. It was an aggressive start by Avishka Fernando putting him under pressure with boundaries. He then produced a beauty to dismiss Avishka taking an inside edge onto the stumps. The pitch had some assistance for pace bowlers as Siraj utilized conditions brilliantly.
Siraj was bought into the attack and ended the 38 runs partnership for the 9th wicket. He got rid of Dunith Wellage caught by Axar Patel at a backward point. Siraj ended the innings by dismissing Lahiru Kumara with another beauty to bowl out Sri Lanka for 215. It was a remarkable bowling effort by Siraj who grabbed 3 for 30 in just 5.4 overs.
He showed his class in the 1st ODI on a flat batting pitch played in Guwahati by picking 2 early wickets. Siraj picked 19 wickets in the first powerplay overs since 2021. He was the pick of bowlers for Team India in the ODI format in 2022.
A victory by 4️⃣ wickets for #TeamIndia in the second #INDvSL ODI here in Kolkata and the series is sealed 2️⃣-0️⃣ 👏👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/jm3ulz5Yr1 @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/f8HvDZRJIY
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 12, 2023
- Kuldeep Yadav’s magical spell
Kuldeep Yadav was coming as a replacement for Yuzvendra Chahal in the 2nd ODI. Kusal Mendis and Nuwaindu Fernando looked good to post a huge total. Kuldeep changed the fortune of the match breaking the partnership and getting rid of Kusal Mendis with lovely delivery. Kusal and Nuwiandu added 73 runs for the 2nd wicket.
Kuldeep then took two quick wickets in succession dismissing Sri Lankan captain Shanaka bowling around the legs and then getting rid of Charith Asalanaka with a simple return catch. It was a remarkable spell by Kuldeep who bowled with control and deceived the Lankan batters with his variations. He ended with figures of 3 for 51 in 10 overs.
With the bat, Kuldeep Yadav showed composure after the wicket of Axar Patel. He hit the winning runs with a boundary to help Team India win the match by 4 wickets. For his 3 for 51 in 10 overs, Kuldeep Yadav was named the player of the match award.
- KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya’s partnership
Chasing down 216 runs to win, India did not have a great start losing 4 quick wickets of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer. KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya steadied the ship for the Indian team against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling lineup.
Hardik and KL Rahul kept the scoreboard hitting the bad deliveries away for boundaries and taking singles. Both batters ensured that India looked set for chasing the target. Hardik Pandya was dismissed with a good delivery by Chamika Karaunate. Pandya and KL Rahul added 75 runs for the 5th wicket. KL Rahul remained solid completing a half-century off 93 balls.
It was a tough wicket to bat on, but KL Rahul remained not out on 64 helping Team India win the match by 4 wickets. Axar Patel provided some valuable runs to guide them closer to a victory.
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