- Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sri Lanka’s woeful innings featured five noughts
By: Pramod Thomas
MOHAMMED SHAMI took five wickets as India’s pacemen produced a devastating display to skittle out Sri Lanka for just 55 as the unbeaten tournament hosts secured a World Cup semi-final place with a colossal 302-run win in Mumbai on Thursday (2).
Sri Lanka’s woeful innings featured five noughts, with both their openers falling for golden ducks as they slumped to 14-6 chasing 358.
Shami took 5-18 in five overs after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj struck with the new ball in an innings with a top score of just 14
Bumrah, with 1-8 in five overs, and Siraj (3-16 in seven) did the early damage before Shami took two wickets in two balls as Sri Lanka’s rapid collapse continued.
India’s winning-margin was their biggest, by runs, in a World Cup game surpassing their 257-run defeat of non-Test nation Bermuda during the 2007 edition in the Caribbean.
Sri Lanka’s total did top the 50 all out they made in a 10-wicket Asia Cup defeat by India in Colombo in September.
They also avoided the embarrassment of setting a new record for the lowest total in any one-day international of 35 and the World Cup mark of 36, posted by Canada against Sri Lanka in Paarl, South Africa, in 2003.
These were meagre consolations to a Sri Lanka side suffering their fifth defeat in seven games at this World Cup.
Earlier, there was some disappointment for the home crowd when Virat Kohli missed out on equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 49 one-day international hundreds.
He still made 88 in a total of 357-8 and shared a stand of 189 with opener Shubman Gill (92), following the second-ball exit of India captain Rohit Sharma.
The duo were out in quick succession but Shreyas Iyer kept the runs coming with a blistering 82 featuring six sixes.
Facing a daunting chase, the visitors would have wanted a solid start at the Wankhede Stadium — where India beat Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final.
Instead Pathum Nissanka was lbw for nought to Bumrah’s first ball of the innings and at the start of the next over Siraj had Dimuth Karunaratne, the other opening batsman, lbw for nought as well.
Sadeera Samarawickrama survived four balls before he too was out for a duck, edging Siraj to third slip Iyer.
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis was then bowled for one by Siraj.
Shami ensured there was no respite, striking with his third ball when Charith Asalanka was caught at backward point.
Then 14-5 was transformed into 14-6 next ball when Dushan Hemantha edged to wicketkeeper KL Rahul.
Dushmantha Chameera survived the hat-trick ball but was quickly caught behind for nought off Shami, who then clean bowled veteran Angelo Mathews for 12
Sri Lanka were now 29-8 but Mahesh Theekshana and Kasun Rajitha briefly kept India at bay before Shami struck again, with tailender Kasun Rajitha caught in the slips for 14.
Jadeja ended the match by dismissing Dilsan Madushanka, who had led Sri Lanka’s attack with 5-80.
After Rohit was bowled by Madushanka, having lost the toss, Sri Lanka missed two chances.
Gill was on eight when a diving Charith Aslanka dropped a difficult catch at backward point off Madushanka.
Next over, Kohli was reprieved on 10 when Dushmantha Chameera was unable to cling on to a return catch.
The second-wicket duo ran riot before Gill was caught behind off Madushanka, who also had Kohli taken at cover-point off a slower ball.
(AFP)
