Bhuveshwar’s five-for builds ODI momentum
COLOMBO: Bhuvneshwar Kumar may not have got a wicket coming into the final One-day International against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. But that didn’t matter much as India were on a victory path all through their tour of Sri Lanka. Besides, Bhuvneshwar had played perhaps the most important innings of the series.
His unbeaten 53 in the second ODI in Pallekele, sharing a century partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saved India embarrassment and guided the team to a three-wicket victory in the end. The innings had been left tottering by the six-wicket haul of spinner Akila Dananjaya. That was Bhuvneshwar’s maiden ODI fifty, which came after scoring three Test half-centuries. On Sunday, Bhuvneshwar grabbed his first five-wicket haul in an ODI to put Sri Lanka’s batting ambitions on hold.
Bhuvneshwar’s five for 42 came after taking four fivewicket innings hauls in Test cricket. Failing to take a wicket in the first three games, Bhuvneshwar was in the shadows of Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed his maiden five-wicket ODI haul in the third match.
Rested for the previous match, Bhuvneshwar returned, doubly energised. The 27-year-old seamer improved on his previous best, 4/8 taken against Sri Lanka at Port-of-Spain in a Tri-series in 2013. He bowled with good pace in the beginning, and hit the deck so hard once the ball flew over a leaping Dhoni to the boundary.
Bhuvi had extra responsibility as inexperienced Shardul Thakur was leaking runs. He dismissed opener Niroshan Dickwella (2) by having him caught and bowled and foxed newcomer Dilshan Munaweera (4), who tried to force the pace only to miscue to Virat Kohli at mid-off. He returned to provide the crucial breakthrough, ending the 122-run partnership between Lahiru Thirimanne (67) and Angelo Mathews.
The death over specialist completed his five-wicket haul by dismissing Milinda Siriwardena (18) and last man Lasith Malinga (2).