In the opening One-Day International of the series in Colombo, India looked certain to win against Sri Lanka.
Shivam Dube was on strike, but he couldn’t pull off the victory even though the visitors just needed one run in fifteen balls. Capturing Dube as the ball was about to reach his pads, Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka confused him. Despite a review being conducted, Dube was sent back to the pavilion when the on-field umpire declared him out.
After he was caught by Asalanka, Arshdeep Singh took his spot in the middle. In an attempt to sweep, the child’s ball ended up on his leg. Players from Sri Lanka were thrilled to have managed a draw when the umpire instantly lifted his finger. The captain of India, Rohit Sharma, was dissatisfied and thought they ought to have pursued it. The middle-order hitters failed to make a big impact in the 231 runs that were chased, resulting in a draw. The captain scored 58 runs to give the team a strong start.
Following the match, Rohit Sharma said that the guys did a good job batting in spurts and that the total was manageable. Although he was pleased with the players’ effort, he was equally disappointed that they were unable to cross the finish line.
The only catch was that you had to bat well to reach the score. We performed well in certain areas. Though I’m disappointed not to score a run with 14 balls, I won’t dwell too long on it. The ball had a bite at first, but as the seam wore out, it got softer. You had to put in the effort and work hard; it wasn’t a game where you could just play your shots. We were proud of our fighting style; maintaining composure was crucial. However, in the post-match presentation, Rohit stated, “We ought to have scored that one run.”
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On August 4, the series’ second ODI will take place at the same location. India might be eager to settle its middle order, but it is unlikely to make any adjustments. Washington Sundar was sent out at number four in the opening game, demoting KL Rahul at number six and Shreyas Iyer at number five. Axar Patel, batting at number eight, was despatched ahead of Shivam Dube.
India
