SHIKHAR DHAWAN SMASHES 11TH ODI TON
INDIA OPEN 5MATCH SERIES AGAINST SL WITH CRUSHING WIN
DAMBULLA:India’s domination of Sri Lanka on this tour has been so complete that the home team’s slim hopes of a turnaround rested on a change in format.
However, Sri Lanka spurned the chance and a batting collapse undermined the team’s first halfcentury opening partnership of the tour. The result was India’s nine-wicket victory in the first ODI here on Sunday.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan gave the finishing touches, smashing his 11th ODI century, and the fastest off only 71 deliveries, to be unbeaten on 132. It was a commanding show by the batsman in red-hot form as he and skipper Virat Kohli (82 no) left Sri Lanka shattered with an unbeaten 197run second wicket partnership.
India wrapped up the match in 28.5 overs, racing to 220 after Sri Lanka were bundled out for 216 in 43.2 overs. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a career-best 3/34 as Indian spinners shared seven wickets after Kohli elected to bowl.
Shikhar has been on a roll since the ICC Champions Trophy, and Sri Lanka didn’t help their cause a bit, dropping him on 87 and 118, though both were difficult chances.
Having scored 190 in the Galle Test and 119 in the final Test in Pallekele, Shikhar got his sixth 50-plus ODI knock against Sri Lanka. His domination spoilt Lasith Malinga’s 200th ODI as he went wicketless to be two short of 300 scalps. Kohli was unbeaten on 82 off 70 balls (10x4, 1x6) after Rohit Sharma was run out for four only because his bat got stuck on the edge of the pitch.
OPENING STAND
Sri Lanka’s left-handed openers Niroshan Dickwella and Dhanushka Gunathilaka, both in decent form, played themselves in on a good pitch, raising the
hopes of a holiday crowd.
Dickwella, who top scored with 64, and Gunathilaka (35) raised 74 in 14 overs as Sri Lanka looked like they would put up a decent fight.
However, Kohli’s plans worked well. He opened the bowling with Hardik Pandya instead of Jasprit Bumrah. If that was an experiment as India begin preparations for the 2019 World Cup, they fell back on old tactics, taking the pace off, and Sri Lanka caved in.
Axar, picked ahead of chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, found turn and maintained excellent line. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal gave the first breakthrough though the Sri Lanka openers were guilty of losing focus.
Dickwella raised 65 runs with Kusal Mendis, but was trapped leg before, beaten by a quicker delivery from Jadhav shaping for a sweep. A review didn’t help.
From 139 for one, Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 39 runs. The last nine wickets fell for 77 runs.
Kusal Mendis was yorked by Axar trying to whip it to the on-side. New skipper Upul Tharanga played the most shocking shot when he was expected to revive the innings with the seasoned Angelo Mathews.