A sensational six-wicket display by leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay trumped Rohit Sharma's belligerent fifty as Sri Lanka pulled off an emotional 32-run win over India in the second ODI on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the opening game ended in a tie.
The target for India was 241 on a helping pitch for the spinners, but they fell short of that target by 33 runs as they were cleaned out for 208 in 42.2 overs with Vandersay returning a fine 6 for 33. The chase looked promising as long as skipper Rohit Sharma was at the crease. He got 64 off 44 balls, with 5 fours and 4 sixes, as he attacked the spinners Dunith Wellalage and Akila Dananjaya along with pacer Asitha Fernando. India was racing away to 97 in just 13.3 overs with Shubman Gill contributing 35 off 44 balls.
The fall of Rohit via reverse sweep that was caught by a diving Pathum Nissanka changed the complexion of the game a bit. It quickly fell away from India's 97 for one to 116 for two in 17.1 overs and then 116 for three off the fourth ball afterwards. It continued going downhill as they stumbled to 123 for four and 133 for five, finally ending at 147 for six, losing six wickets for just 50 runs in 10 overs, all through Vandersay.
Gill edged a delivery to Kamindu Mendis at first slip, Shivam Dube was bowled by a turning leg-break, Virat Kohli was deceived by a googly and Shreyas Iyer fell to a slider. Dube, Kohli and Iyer fell leg before, exposing their lack of footwork and judgement in decision-making. KL Rahul lasted two balls, dragging a Vandersay delivery onto his stumps.
Axar Patel tried to shore up the innings with 44 off 44 balls. For the seventh wicket, Axar added 38 runs with Washington Sundar. He scored 14 runs off Charith Asalanka's first over and later hit a six off Akila Dananjaya. His resistance ended when he was caught off Asalanka, and the rest of the Indian innings folded up quickly.
Earlier, Indian spinners, spearheaded by Washington Sundar's 3 for 30 and Kuldeep Yadav's 2 for 33 tested the Sri Lankan batsmen, who still managed to post a respectable 240 for nine. A valuable partnership of 72 for the seventh wicket between Wellalage and Kamindu, who made 40, helped them recover from 136 for six.
Mohammed Siraj struck first, having Nissanka caught behind by Rahul. Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis took advantage of the new ball, adding 74 runs for the second wicket—Fernando making 40 off 62 balls and Mendis 30 off 42. But once the spinners took charge, the runs started drying up, and Sri Lanka had to sweat it out for runs.
The leading edge off Fernando was caught, and Mendis was trapped leg before while trying to sweep. Asalanka stroked a few, but he too was caught off the bowling of Washington by Axar. At 136 for six, Wellalage and Kamindu took on Axar and Siraj, with both of them hitting a six. Kamindu survived a dropped catch by Dube.
The fall of Wellalage did not deter Kamindu, who played a few aggressive shots. After the erratic bowling displayed by India in the last five overs, Sri Lanka still managed to add 44 much-needed runs to finish with what could be regarded as a competitive score, one that ultimately proved too much for India.
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