Hasaranga and Asalanka’s Heroics Lead to a Thrilling Tie Against India in The 1st ODI
Sri Lanka, led by Charith Asalanka, Dunith Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga, managed to tie with India, ending the game at 230 runs each in an exciting ODI encounter at Colombo.
With his powerful blows against spin, Dube had helped India tie the score, but he was unable to get them over the finish line.
India 230 (Rohit 58, Axar 33, Asalanka 3-30, Hasaranga 3-58) tied with Sri Lanka 230 for 8 (Wellalage 67*, Nissanka 56, Axar 2-33, Arshdeep 2-47).
At 51 for 5, Sri Lanka appeared certain to suffer an all too familiar collapse against India, but they managed to stay in the game both at bat and with the ball, eventually tying the match. Charith Asalanka, leading Sri Lanka for the first time in ODI cricket, completed the dramatic outcome by taking off Shivam Dube and No. 11 Arshdeep Singh off consecutive balls on a slow, dry Khettarama turner, while the crowd went wild to his music.
It was anybody’s game, with India needing five off eighteen balls and only two wickets remaining. Dube was threatening to go full spin-hitting in the IPL. He had just selected a legbreak off Wanindu Hasaranga and blasted it over wide long-on for six. Asalanka could have substituted debutant Mohamed Shiraz or Asitha Fernando, but he assumed the responsibility on a field that had already seen action during last month’s LPL Qualifier 2 and performed admirably for Sri Lanka.
Dube hit the third ball through the covers to equalize the game after the first two balls of the 48th over were played out. With a slider from around the wicket, Asalanka got Dube leg before wicket for 25 off 24 balls. Dube was initially declared not out, but an Asalanka review successfully overturned the on-field ruling and enthralled the audience.
When Asalanka also got Arshdeep LBW for a duck with the following ball, he pushed Colombo into party mode. Arshdeep was stranded in front after failing to execute a slog sweep as Asalanka darted in with another slider from around the wicket.
Despite the fact that Sri Lanka’s seam attack has been severely damaged by illness and injury—nine of their fast bowlers are out—their spin attack is so strong that they can afford to start Asalanka with Maheesh Theekshana. Hasaranga, the wristspinner, Akila Dananjaya, the mystery spinner, and Dunith Wellalage, the left-arm fingerspinner, all contributed to the victory with the ball.
India’s collapse was started by Wellalage, who removed Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in consecutive overs after they had put together a 75-run opening partnership off 76 balls. Washington Sundar, who had been moved up to No. 4, was taken out by Dananjaya, who spun the ball sharply both ways, before Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. Hasaranga finished with three wickets, including the significant one of Virat Kohli, who was out for 24 off 32 balls.
Before trapping Kohli with a fizzing skidder, Hasaranga restricted him to five off ten balls. Rahul and Axar Patel then put India’s batting back together with a 57-run stand for the sixth wicket. After spending the majority of his innings playing risk-free cricket, Rahul attempted to slog-sweep Hasaranga but miscued it to midwicket for 31 off 43 balls. Then, Axar looked to lead India’s pursuit of 231 runs, but Asalanka had him nicked out for 33 off 57 balls with a quick offbreak. Even with Dube’s late appearance, India was unable to cross the finish line.
When Rohit dominated the powerplay after coming out of T20I retirement and playing in ODI cricket for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup, India were on the right road. In the opening 10 overs, he struck nine more boundaries after charging out of the crease with the second ball and smashing Asitha over midwicket for six. Of the 71 runs India scored in that phase, 54 came from him.
Also Read: Washington, Surya, and Rinku Lead India to Super Over Victory Against Sri Lanka in The 3rd T20I
After hitting a slog-swept six off Dananjaya, Rohit reached a half-century with 33 balls. But Wellalage knocked him for 58 off 47 balls when he appeared good for more.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka had a more restrained powerplay, scoring only 33 runs while playing out 45 dots. India’s early progress was hindered by Mohammed Siraj and Dube, but Pathum Nissanka’s 67-ball half-century neutralized both of them and the country’s spinners. If Siraj hadn’t missed a challenging opportunity at fine leg during the powerplay, India might have ended his innings at 20.
The lower order was then used by Wellalage to rally, adding stands of 41 with Janith Liyanage, 36 with Hasaranga, and 46 with Dananjaya. Washington’s off-spin was countered by Wellalage, who was moved up to No. 7 ahead of Hasaranga, who struck him for 20 off 21 balls. Even more creatively, he ramped Siraj clean of deep third for fours and reverse-swept Washington over the two slips. Wellalage displayed glimmers of his power when Arshdeep pitched one in his arc, too, clearing Siraj at broad long range. He then reached his first fifty in an ODI, off 59 balls.
Picked ahead of India’s second-most-used bowler in the Twenty20 International series, Riyan Parag, Washington and Kuldeep Yadav both continued to be dangerous with their turn and bounce. Following a few balls that Kuldeep had ripped past Asalanka’s outside edge, the captain of Sri Lanka was caught off guard as he guided his stock ball straight to Rohit at first slip for 14 off 21 balls.
When Axar discovered an instant turn and bounce to have Nissanka check his drive to more cover, he was the one who had set the stage for the day. Then, like Rangana Herath did in the past in Sri Lanka, Axar managed to kick up and rag away past the outside edge with his fifth delivery. Axar threw the ball up into Arshdeep’s footmarks instead than looking for the magic ball because the surface gave the spinners plenty of grip.
However, Sri Lanka’s spinners outperformed India’s and forced an improbable draw, so if the visitors want to win the ODI series, they will need to mount a solid defense.
Dunith Wellalage Draws Inspiration from Nissanka to Shine in Tied ODI Against India
At just 21 years old, Dunith Wellalage gave an amazing all-around performance at Khettarama on a difficult pitch. In the first ODI, Wellalage, batting at No. 7, hit an unbeaten 67 off 65 balls, aiding Sri Lanka in posting a total of 230 for 8. The left-arm spinner secured a drawn game against India with the ball, taking 2 for 39 off nine overs, including the vital wicket of Rohit Sharma.
Arriving at a dangerous 101 for 5 in the 27th over, Wellalage appeared to be the most comfortable batsman on either side after a cautious start. He blasted a string of strong boundaries to conclude the innings. Wellalage acknowledged that his batting strategy was influenced by teammate Pathum Nissanka, who has excelled in the T20Is and is Sri Lanka’s standout batsman this trip.
“They have a lot of experienced bowlers, so the more we can limit our mistakes, the more we can put pressure on them,” Wellalage stated. “I spent a lot of time watching Pathum Nissanka bat. I thought about his batting while I worked up a strategy. I made an effort to put as much pressure on the bowler as possible and form partnerships because the pitch favored spin bowling.”
The most important thing Wellalage did with the ball was to eliminate Rohit Sharma, who was about to make the chase appear simple with a quick fifty off 33 balls. Rohit attempted a sweep in the 15th over, but Wellalage misled him with a flighted delivery, catching him in front of the stumps and bringing his innings to 58 from 47 balls.
Wellalage had already removed Shubman Gill as well, giving him a top edge that the keeper caught. The first spinner to be used was Wellalage, who bowled inside the powerplay. “We were aware of the spinning wicket. I was informed that I would be bowling during the powerplay by Charith Asalanka. I also had good assistance from the wicket.”
Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka both made substantial contributions in the middle to late overs, taking three wickets apiece. The game was deadlocked when Asalanka took two wickets in the 48th over, providing the decisive breakthrough. However, earlier in the innings, Hasaranga claimed the crucial wickets of KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Virat Kohli.
“When we bowled, the game changed with the wickets that Wanindu aiya and Charith aiya took,” Wellalage said. “They took wickets when things became really tough, which allowed us at least maintain a respectable total. Batters with a lot of match completion experience include Axar Patel and KL Rahul. It was crucial to maintain composure, and the game went in our favor.”
