India snap SL's 13-match winning streak, reach Asia Cup final
A day after beating Pakistan, India claimed a phenomenal win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 Super encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The Men in Blue successfully defended 213 despite being bowled out. Rohit Sharma was India's only half-centurion, while Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja helped India bowl SL out for 172. India have broken SL's 13-match winning streak (ODIs).
A look at the match's summary
Rohit and Shubman Gill took India past 80 after they elected to bat. However, India's top order, including Virat Kohli, departed soon. Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka ignited India's batting collapse. Axar Patel propelled India to 213. SL lost six wickets for just 99 runs, but Dhananjaya de Silva and Wellalage kept them afloat. However, the Indian bowlers wrapped up their innings.
Wellalage wreaks havoc with his maiden ODI fifer
Left-arm spinner Wellalage decimated the Indian batters. He dismissed Gill on his first delivery of the match. Wellalage then dismissed both Kohli and Rohit in his next two overs. The Lankan spinner got rid of KL Rahul (39), who shared a 63-run stand with Ishan Kishan (33). Wellalage completed his maiden ODI fifer by removing Hardik Pandya on his match's final delivery.
Fourth SL spinner with ODI fifer against India
Wellalage took five wickets for 40 runs in 10 overs. He has become just the fourth Sri Lankan spinner to take a fifer against India in the 50-over format. He joins Muthiah Muralidaran, Ajantha Mendis, and Akila Dananjaya on this list. However, Wellalage remains the only left-arm spinner to have taken an ODI fifer against the Men in Blue.
Career-best ODI figures for Asalanka
Like Wellalage, off-spinner Asalanka recorded his career-best figures in ODI cricket. He took four wickets for just 18 runs in nine overs, including a maiden. Ishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav were his victims. Asalanka dismissed Bumrah and Kuldeep on consecutive balls. Notably, the Lankan spinner had only one ODI wicket before this match.
Rohit slams his 51st ODI fifty
Rohit once again came out with a positive intent after he elected to bat. He displayed his attacking intent, punishing the poor deliveries and respecting the ideal ones. Rohit looked solid on 53 off 48 balls (7 fours and 2 sixes), but Wellalage knocked him over in the 16th over. The former slammed his 51st half-century in ODI cricket.
Fastest to 8,000 ODI runs as opener
During his knock, Rohit scored his 8,000th run as an opener in the 50-over format. He entered the 8,000-run club in his 160th innings, now the fastest to do so as an opener. Rohit broke the record of South African legend Hashim Amla, who took 173 innings for this achievement. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored 8,000 ODI runs as an opener in 179 innings.
Second-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs
With his 22nd run in the match, Rohit completed 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. He is the sixth Indian to do so after Tendulkar, Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and MS Dhoni. Rohit also became the second-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs (241st innings). He broke the record of Tendulkar, who took 259 innings. Kohli tops this list, having taken just 205 innings.
Kohli, Rohit complete 5,000 partnership runs
Entering the match, Kohli and Rohit required two complete 5,000 partnership runs (ODIs). They unlocked it in their 86th innings together, becoming the fastest pair in this regard. West Indies legends Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes previously held this record (97). Australia's Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist took 104 innings, while Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara played 105 innings for this mark.
Jadeja becomes India's highest wicket-taker in Asia Cup
Indian left-arm spinner Jadeja brilliantly exploited the conditions in Colombo. He took two wickets for just 33 runs in 10 overs. As a result, Jadeja became India's highest wicket-taker in the ODI Asia Cup. He broke a tie with Irfan Pathan, who took 22 wickets in the tournament. Jadeja now has 24 wickets from 18 Asia Cup encounters at an average of 25.08.
India break SL's streak
Sri Lanka were coming off 13 consecutive ODI wins, their longest winning streak in the format. The Lankan team is now only behind Australia, who recorded 21 back-to-back wins in the 50-over format (2003). Notably, Sri Lanka bowled out the opposition in each of these 13 ODIs. They did so against India too, but the latter broke their winning streak.
Seventh ODI four-fer for Kuldeep
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep, who took a fifer against Pakistan, perturbed the Lankans. Much to everyone's surprise, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj uprooted SL's top order on a turning track. Kuldeep picked up from there and dismissed Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asalanka, Kasun Rajith, and Matheesha Pathirana. Kuldeep took four wickets for 43 runs in 9.3 overs. It was his seventh ODI four-wicket haul.
Fastest Indian spinner to 150 ODI wickets
After dismissing Pathirana, SL's final batter, Kuldeep completed 150 wickets in ODI cricket. He entered the 150-wicket club in his 88th match, now the fastest Indian spinner to this landmark. Overall, Kuldeep is the second-fastest Indian to 150 ODI wickets. Pacer spearhead Mohammed Shami tops this list, having achieved this feat in 80 ODIs. Kuldeep averages a brilliant 25.64 with the ball.
