According to a report published in NDTV Sports, team India had put up a great game against Sri Lanka during their first ODI encounter in this ongoing three-match series, on Tuesday which took place in Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium. India had convincingly claimed victory in the match by sixty-seven runs leading the series by 1-0. Although both the teams had put up a great game but, it was Virat Kohli and the Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka who stood out being the star performers.
Kohli had played a magical knock of a hundred and thirteen runs in just eighty-seven balls. He touched Sachin Tendulkar’s record of twenty ODI hundreds at home. He even crossed Tendulkar’s record of centuries against Sri Lanka in the ODIs.
After winning the toss, the skipper of Sri Lanka Shanaka put India to bat first. Shubman Gill who scored seventy runs along with Rohit Sharma, who scored eighty-three runs, gave India a very stable start. The opening partnership for India scored a hundred and forty-three runs. Then Virat Kohli stormed into the scene with his knock of a hundred and thirteen runs off eighty-seven balls. Kohli made his seventy-third ODI century. After fifty overs, India added to the scoreboard a very stable three hundred and seventy-three runs at the loss of seven wickets.
From Sri Lanka, Kasun Rajitha in his ten-over spell gave away eighty-eight runs but had taken three wickets too. While Sri Lanka took to the field to chase the runs the skipper played a great knock. He remained unbeaten at a hundred and eight runs in eighty-eight balls. Pathum Nissanka too had contributed a valuable seventy to runs before getting out. Dhananjaya showed resilience too with his knock of forty-seven runs but had failed to lead the team to victory. Eventually team Sri Lanka managed to pull up to three hundred and six runs for the loss of eight wickets in their fifty overs. Umran Malik from India delivered a great bowling spell. By giving fifty-seven runs, he took up three wickets.
The Highs And Drama In The Match
Off the last ball in the Sri Lankan innings Shanaka remained unbeaten by hitting a six off the last ball, taking his score to a hundred and eight runs. Since the beginning of the game, India was in complete control. Rohit and Gill gave India the start that was needed. Then it was the time for Kohli to show magic and lead the score further higher. The bowlers from team India’s camp too contributed well to stop the Sri Lankan score at three hundred and six runs.
Although the Indian bowling unit kept attacking the Sri Lankan side, especially their skipper Shanaka. But he remained solid and made sure that despite losing the match, the figures of bowlers become economical. Even though he could not save the match but indeed he had played the captain’s knock, remaining unbeaten at a hundred and eight runs. His captaincy had won the hearts of both the Sri Lankan and Indian fans.