You are watching the game. Sri Lanka are cruising at the
halfway stage with 139 runs on the board for the loss of a solitary wicket. It
seems as though Sri Lankan captain Upul Tharanga actually wanted to bat first
and got his wish despite losing the toss( most captains say they would have
done the opposite of what the toss winning captain said they would do so as to
not give an impression to the opposition that they are unsettled)
You decide to take a late afternoon
siesta on a rainy Sunday. You get up and turn on TV and you see the score 187-8
and for a split second you wonder if this is an old match that is being
telecast. But then you see the live beneath the Sony Six box at the top right
corner of the screen. You rub your eyes and stare again. No change. Yet another
collapse by Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka proceed to get bundled out for a paltry 216 in
just under 44 overs.
In the evening, India put on a batting masterclass to thrash
Sri Lanka by 9 wickets and in the process record their biggest win in terms of
balls remaining(128 balls) when chasing a score in excess of 200.
The one wicket was just unfortunate as Rohit Sharma's bat
got stick in the pitch and popped out of his hand. Had that not happened, his
bat would have crossed the stump line at the time the ball made contact with
the stumps.
Shikhar Dhawan seems to be in the form of his life and
picked up from where he left off in the test series. He played a relatively
slow innings till he reached his half century and then just went after the
bowling to remain unbeaten at 132.
Dhawan along with Captain Virat Kohli who scored 81 runs put
on a massive match winning 197 run partnership.
The loss of 7 wickets for 48 runs in the middle part of the
innings showcases the stark contrast between the teams. India are a team that
recognises the importance of not letting the opposition form a launch pad for
the final onslaught in the last 10 overs. They are a well settled unit, whereas
Sri Lanka have virtually no experience after no.5 and that is reflected in the
score card. None of the batsmen after 5 managed to reach double figures. They don’t
look or play like a team.
The younger players need to learn the art of holing up one
end while the experienced and set partner goes about accumulating the runs.
Angelo Matthews was unbeaten and he was upset. He didn't even wait for his
partner at the end of the Sri Lankan innings and walked off.
This collapse signifies the sorry state of Sri Lankan
cricket. But all is not lost. There are 22 months left for the next World Cup
in England and Wales.
For now though they find themselves at the mercy of a
rampant Indian side who are on a 4 match winning streak in the Emerald Island.
Can Sri Lanka get a tick in the wins column or will the men in blue continue
their imperious march. Find out on August 24, when India and Sri Lanka meet for
the 2nd ODI at Kandy.
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