Jeffrey Vandersay was drafted into Sri Lanka’s ODI squad just before the second ODI against India, following Wanindu Hasaranga's withdrawal due to a hamstring injury. Vandersay seized this opportunity with a remarkable performance, claiming 6 wickets for 33 runs. His exceptional spell thwarted India's pursuit and secured a memorable 32-run victory for Sri Lanka.
Reflecting on his performance, Vandersay commented, “There was assistance on the wicket so I was trying to hit the good areas and do the basics right. This is my first game after some time so I had to bowl in good areas. Once I got the first wicket I built up confidence also. I kept hitting the right areas and with God's grace I was able to get six wickets.” He was named Player of the Match for his efforts.
Since his ODI debut in December 2015, Vandersay has appeared in 22 ODIs, often facing team rotation. However, in Sunday’s match, he emerged as the star player, dismissing key Indian batsmen including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul in just 29 balls. This performance earned him the seventh-best ODI bowling figures by a Sri Lankan, and put Sri Lanka ahead 1-0 in the three-match series.
Vandersay acknowledged the pressure of his return, stating, “There was a lot of pressure coming into the side. I was coming off a layoff. I had to do something. It's easy to take credit with a spell like this but I want to give credit to the batters also for taking us to such a competitive total. No doubt Wanindu Hasaranga is our No.1 spinner, but I got to understand the atmosphere of the team and selections and team balance. It's tough, but I have to keep motivating myself.”
Captain Charith Asalanka, who took three wickets in consecutive matches, expressed his satisfaction with Vandersay’s performance. “I was pretty happy with the score we got on this track. I thought 240 was good enough. Definitely, as a captain, this kind of problem I need to have (in selection post Vandersay performance). It was an unbelievable spell from him (Vandersay). When he came in for bowling, they were scoring over 9. I am still mainly a batsman and after that I bowled a few overs.”
Kamindu Mendis, the ambidextrous spin-bowling all-rounder who replaced fast-bowler Mohamed Shiraz, was the top scorer with 40 runs. He and Dunith Wellalage formed a crucial 72-run partnership, helping Sri Lanka recover. Mendis praised his team for their all-around performance, stating, “I think it was a good match. I think the team did really well in all three departments. The energy in the field, I have to mention it. The skipper did the job and made good decisions. In the middle, I thought 210-215 would be a good score. But end of the innings we got 240 so it was a good innings. I was working hard on my fielding so I think we have to take those half-chances in the games. After the T20Is we got together and we had plans. We executed our plans brilliantly.”
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