New Delhi: Sri Lanka defeated India by 110 runs in the third and last ODI match to clinch the series 2-0 at the R. Premdasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, August 7. The Men in Blue suffered a series loss against Sri Lanka after 27 years.
Sri Lanka batted first and scored 248 runs in the 50 overs. Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando stitched a 96-run partnership for the first wicket. Nissanka scored 45 runs off 65 balls and was dismissed by Axar Patel.
Debutant Riyan Parag got the wicket of Avishka Fernando, who was just 4 runs away from his century. Parag also got the wicket of Asalanka and Wellalage and helped the Men in Blue to claw their way back into the game.
Kusal Mendis also scored 59 runs off 82 balls but Sri Lanka’s middle order failed to contribute to the team’s total. Parag took three wickets and Kuldeep, Sundar, Axar and Siraj also picked up one wicket each.
Chasing the target of 249 runs, Team India got off to a poor start as Asitha Fernando dismissed Shubman Gill in the fifth over. The Indian middle-order batsmen struggled to perform against the Sri Lanka spinners as the Men in Blue got all out for 138 runs in the 27.1 overs. Dunith Wellalage took 5 wickets in the match. Maheesh Theekshana and Vandersay also got two wickets each.
‘We need to be better prepared for such conditions next time’: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma
Indian captain Rohit Sharma was disappointed after the series loss and said that players have to work individually on their game plan against spin and also credited Sri Lanka for playing good cricket.
“It is something we have to look at individually and as a gameplan. It is a joke, when you are playing for India there is never going to be complacency. When I am captain there is no chance of that. But you have to give credit to good cricket. Sri Lanka played better than us” Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation.
He also said that the team need to improve in a lot of areas and also needs to be better prepared for such conditions next time.
“We looked at the conditions and went with the combinations, there are also guys who need to be looked at and hence the changes. There are a lot of areas we need to look at rather than the positives from this series because we need to be better prepared when we come across such conditions next time. These things happen, series loss is not the end of the world, you will lose an odd series here and there but it is about how you come back after the loss” he added.
Here are some social media reactions after India’s defeat against Sri Lanka
#INDvsSL middle order disaster again 🇮🇳 Congratulations Team #Srilanka 🇱🇰🏆
— Kutti Kundapura (@kuttikundapura) August 7, 2024
Gambhir wants credit of winning wc after 28 years.
But people are giving him credit of losing series vs SL after 27 years.
pic.twitter.com/nE6biXV0Ux
— ` (@WorshipDhoni) August 7, 2024
Sri Lanka must be a very happy cricket team tonight. They have beaten India after 27 years.
Congrats to Sanath Jayasuriya and Asalanka.
Special mentions to Avishka Fernando and Dunith Wellalage for today.👌
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) August 7, 2024
Rather disappointing from Team India @INDvsSL .. the target of 249 required some grafting of runs and partnerships!! Some solid character!! Not just attacking innovative shots !! 🤯 💔@ESPNcricinfo @BCCI
— Robin Singh (@robinsingh1409) August 7, 2024
Gambhir Era.#INDvsSL | #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/XNsjabdZtv
— Rajabets 🇮🇳👑 (@smileagainraja) August 7, 2024
My mood now a days 🙃#CricketMatch #Olympic2024 #IndiaAtOlympics #indvssl #RohitSharma #GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/VvB1AElCqM
— akshay jain (@akshayjain504) August 7, 2024
Fans on social media reacted after Sri Lanka defeated India by 110 runs in the third ODI to clinch the series by 2-0 at the R. Premdasa Stadium in Colombo. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
