Sri Lanka’s spectacular win: Poor batting performance by Team India except Rohit Sharma and Axar patel led the team to a shameful defeat against Sri Lanka. Team India lost the match by 32 runs chasing just 241-run target. Barring Rohit Sharma and a fighting innings by Axar Patel, none of the batsmen looked like they were comfortable in the middle. Not to forget a wonderful performance by Vandersay who finished his spell with 33 runs for 6 wickets was decisive in the match and almost forced India to surrender.
With regular fall of wickets throughout the innings and significant contributions from their lower middle order and lower order batsmen, Sri Lanka have managed to score 240 runs at the loss of 9 wickets in their 50 overs. Fernando (40), Mendis (40) and Wellalage (39) made contributions for their team. India need to chase 241 runs in their 50 overs.
Sri Lanka have won the toss and decided to bat first against India. After a tie in the first ODI, India and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the second ODI at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM IST.
India have just one more ODI series scheduled between their current tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in February-March 2025. It’s an unusual period for bilateral ODIs, even more so for a series involving Sri Lanka, who have not qualified for the Champions Trophy. Thus, it was fitting that Friday’s match turned into a classic encounter, a thrilling, slow-burning tie that demonstrated—just as last year’s World Cup did repeatedly—that the ODI format remains an excellent showcase for cricketing skills. It would be a shame if the sport’s future did not include a meaningful place for this format.
For now, there are two more matches left in an unexpectedly lively tour. After three consecutive collapses in the T20Is—9 for 30, 7 for 31, and 7 for 22—sri Lanka will draw some confidence from their recovery from 101 for 5 in the first ODI on Friday and will hope to challenge India further in the remaining two matches.
The third T20I in Pallekele and the first ODI in Colombo both demonstrated that spin-friendly conditions can considerably narrow the quality gap between the teams. If Khettarama continues to offer substantial grip and turn, the outcome of this series remains uncertain.
IND vs SL Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando.