India routed Sri Lanka by 169 runs with a stunning all-round performance by the hosts in the 1st ODI match played at Cuttack on Sunday.
The game started at 1.30pm after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first considering the dew factor. Sri Lanka handed the ODI cap to their 160th player, Lahiru Gamage. The Indian opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane started off sedately making 43 runs in the first 10 overs. The Lankan opening fast bowlers, Lahiru Gamage and Dhammika Prasad bowled superb lines and lengths with discipline which troubled the pair often. Shikhar Dhawan was dropped on 10 off Prasad by Sangakkara which made a great effect on the final result. Sangakkara had a forgettable day behind the stumps as he dropped Rahane as well when he was only 38. India was 90 runs in 20 overs and since then they started to blast the in-experienced Lankan bowling attack. The duo made a mockery of the Lankan bowlers as they stroked all around the ground with ease.
Dhawan and Rahane scored 105 runs between 20-30 overs which easily demoralized the non-penetrative Lankan bowling attack as India laid a terrific foundation to a massive score. After 35 overs of struggle, Sri Lanka finally broke through the Indian opening pair as part-time spinner Ashan Priyanjan removed Dhawan for a well-stroked 113 in 107 balls which had 14 fours and 3 sixes. Three overs later, the expensive off-spinner Suraj Randiv got the prized wicket of Rahane for 111 and whose knock came in 108 balls with 13 fours and 2 sixes.
Suresh Raina, appearing in his 200th ODI, also did his bit by striking a quick-fire 52 off 34 balls as it was one-way traffic for India as the hosts posted an imposing 363 for 5 in 50 overs. Randiv might have been expensive conceding 78 runs from his quota of 10 overs but he was also Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler with three wickets to his tally including that of Rahane, Raina and stand-in skipper Virat Kohli, who made 22.
India continued to dominate the proceedings as their bowlers led by Ishanth Sharma took the baton from the batsmen. They bundled out the ‘under-prepared’ visitors for a mere 194 in 39.1 overs. Experienced TM Dilshan was the first to be dismissed when he edged behind for 18 off Yadav. Sangakkara got a good delivery from Ishanth Sharma as he too perished early for 13 when he gave the 2nd catch to wicket-keeper Wriddhaman Saha.
Tharanga struggled to find rhythm in his short knock of 28 and he was finally removed by R Ashwin when the left-hander tried to play against the spin and was only successful in giving an easy catch to Shikhar Dhawan. Seekuge Prasanna’s fragile stint at the crease came to an end when he gave a regulation catch to man-of-the-match Rahane off Akshar Patel.
Jayawardene looked untroubled as he made elegant strokes showing a pure display of his class before he lost his patience driving straight to Kohli at short cover off rookie left-arm spinner Akshar Patel for a sublime 36-ball innings of 43. Skipper Angelo Mathews tried to dig in but half of his side was back in pavilion by the half-way mark in their chase at a score of 130 and he was unable to survive the acceleration falling for 23 in search of big runs.
Indian bowlers were backed brilliantly by their fielders as the Lankan tail could not wag for a longer period of time as Ishanth Sharma knocked off 3 late wickets to end the Lankan innings with 64 balls remaining.
Much had been written about Sri Lanka’s under preparedness for the series organized after the West Indies pull out from a full length series and it came to fore with their sloppy fielding and a depleted attack that lacked sting in the absence of Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath. Sangakkara who rushed into the tour nursing a back injury a week before looked out of touch.
Both teams will now travel to Ahmedabad for the second ODI match on Thursday.
Full Scorecard
