Dhoni back in focus after India’s thrilling victory over Sri Lanka
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni added a record unbeaten 100-run stand for the eighth wicket to help India register a thrilling three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second oneday international in Pallekele on Thursday. India now lead the fivematch series 2-0.
India chased down the revised target of 231 in 44.2 overs. Bhuvneshwar (53*) scored maiden ODI fifty with the help of a six and four boundaries, while Dhoni remained unbeaten at 45. Rain disruptions made it a 47-over chase for the visitors.
India started the chase quite comfortably with openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan putting up a quick-fire hundred-run stand. Rohit hit his 32nd ODI fifty, before falling to Dananjaya in the 16th over. The right-hander scored 54 in 45 balls, which included three sixes and five fours. The wicket triggered a dramatic batting collapse for India as they tumbled to 131/7 in 21.5 overs from 109/1 in 15.3 overs.
Earlier, Indian bowlers once again put up an impressive performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 236 for 8 in the second One Day International.
Indian team would rather be disappointed as they had Lanka on the mat at 121 for 5 before a 91-run stand between Milinda Siriwardana (58) and experienced Chamara Kapugedera (40) enabled the home team reach a semblance of respectability.
This was after Virat Kohli won his fifth consecutive toss on this tour and opted to field.
Put into bat, Niroshan Dickwella (31) and Danushka Gunathilaka (19) made a quick start to their innings. India handed the new ball to Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-53) and Jasprit Bumrah (4/43). The two openers showed aggressive intent.
Bumrah was taken for a few runs in his initial spell as Dickwella hit two sixes off him.
Lanka's 50-mark came up in the 9th over but Bumrah had got his revenge when he had Dickwella caught at short midwicket in the 8th over.
Kusal Mendis (19) then joined Gunathilaka and put on 29 runs for the 2nd wicket before the latter was stumped off Yuzvendra Chahal (2-43) in the 15th over.
It was Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 99th stumping in ODI cricket, equalling Kumar Sangakkara's record albeit in fewer games.
Skipper Upul Tharanga (9) then edged a simple outswinger from Hardik Pandya (1-24) to slip in the 16th over. Then Mendis was out leg before sweeping off Chahal in the 24th over as Lanka were reduced to 99/4.
It seemed a familiar script as Angelo Mathews (20) too followed back to the dressing room, out LBW to Axar Patel (1- 30) in the 29th over.
But Siriwardana and Kapugedara pulled their team out of the hole with a resolute partnership. The duo played within themselves and didn't seem to be in any hurry to score runs, even as they didn't let the scoring rate dip too far.
They were helped in that Pandya had to go off in the 28th over as he seemed to have strained his left calf.
The all-rounder came back on the field twice, but finally hobbled off in the latter stages of the innings. Kedar Jadhav (0-32) completed his quota of overs.
They put on 50 runs off 63 balls and helped Lanka past the 200-mark in the 43rd over. Siriwardana scored his third ODI halfcentury off 49 balls.
He was finally out caught in the 45th over, lobbing a slower ball off Bumrah to Rohit Sharma at cover. Overall he faced 58 balls and hit 2 fours as well as a six.
It started another procession of wickets as Lanka’s lower order was restricted from scoring too many runs. Only 24 runs came in the final five
overs as Bumrah bowled Kapugedara in the 47th over. He faced 61 balls and hit 2 fours.
Bumrah also accounted for Akila Dhananjaya (9), out caught at mid off, in the 49th over. Dushmantha Chameera (6 no) and Vishwa Fernando (3 no) were the unbeaten batsmen at the end even as Lanka seemed short of a challenging total.