Sri Lanka’s cricket team experienced another disastrous batting performance in the recent match, scoring only 55 runs, reminiscent of their 50-run total in a previous Asia Cup final. Kusal Mendis, in hindsight, may regret the decision to bowl first as the Wankhede Stadium’s night conditions favoured Indian bowlers like Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj.
Bumrah set the tone by trapping Nissanka LBW on the first ball, leading to a series of wickets falling quickly: 3/4, 14/6, 22/7, 29/8, and finally, they were all out for 55.
Fortunately for Sri Lanka, they managed to surpass Canada’s infamous 36-run score, avoiding the record for the lowest-ever score in the Cricket World Cup. Shami contributed significantly with a five-wicket haul, his third in World Cups and second in this tournament, following the initial damage caused by Siraj and Bumrah. If we exclude the 9 extra runs India conceded, Sri Lanka’s performance would have been even more dismal.
When the ball stopped swinging excessively, Rajitha and Theekshana added 14 and 12 runs, but the game was already out of reach for them. India’s victory secured their spot in the semifinals, making them the first team to do so. Mohammed Shami was declared player of the match for his astonishing bowling performance, taking five wickets and conceding just 18 runs.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India’s well-rounded batting performance has propelled them to a total of 357. Although Rohit missed out, the rest of the team contributed effectively.
Both Kohli and Gill were on track for centuries but fell short, as did Shreyas, but they managed to accumulate runs consistently to surpass the 350-run mark. In the last 10 overs, India added 93 runs, with Jadeja making a valuable contribution down the order. Slower deliveries were effective in the latter stages of the innings, and if there’s minimal dew, Indian bowlers may employ a similar tactic.
Kohli and Gill laid a strong foundation for the team, but both were dismissed by Madushanka, who ended up taking five wickets. The pitch appears to favour the batsmen, with the slower deliveries proving effective. Under the evening lights, it should still be a good batting surface.
Chasing down 357 is a challenging task, especially with India’s in-form bowlers. Sri Lanka faces a crucial, almost do-or-die, situation. After the end of the India innings, Shreyas Iyer went on to say that,I think it was a pretty good wicket to bat; the ball was coming on and there was some nice bounce. I could settle for a while and then play my shots.
