Chetan Sakariya 1st wicket: The two debutants joined hands to break a formidable Sri Lankan partnership at the R Premdasa Stadium.
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During the third ODI of the ongoing India’s tour of Sri Lanka in Colombo, debutant India pacer Chetan Sakariya dismissed Sri Lanka batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa to pick his first wicket in international cricket.
It all happened on the last delivery of the 23rd over when Rajapaksa flicked a Sakariya delivery on the leg-side. Wanting to clear the fielders at the boundary, left-handed Rajapaksa wasn’t successful as another debutant in Krishnappa Gowtham ran towards his right from fine-leg to grab a fantastic sliding catch.
It was only a delivery before that Sakariya was denied his first international wicket when another debutant Nitish Rana spilled a simple chance at deep square leg. Readers must note that it was Sakariya who had taken his first international catch to hand Gowtham his maiden international wicket of Minod Bhanuka (7) earlier in the evening.
Coming in to bat at No. 3 in the sixth over of a 227-run chase in a 47-over contest, Rajapaksa stitched a formidable 109-run partnership alongside opening batsman Avishka Fernando to put Sri Lanka in a comfortable position at the R Premdasa Stadium. Rajapaksa, who registered his maiden ODI half-century, departed after scoring 65 (56) with the help of 12 fours.
After India captain Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and chose to bat, the visitors were bundled out for 225 in 43.1 overs. Having scored 49 (49) with the help of eight fours, India opening batsman Prithvi Shaw was their highest run-scorer.
With bowling figures of 10-0-44-3, Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya was the pick of their bowlers. Playing his first match of the series like Dananjaya, spinner Praveen Jayawickrama also picked three wickets in his 10-over spell.
Chetan Sakariya 1st wicket in international cricket
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