India have defeated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first of a three-match ODI series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium tonight. Although a comprehensive victory, it could have easily been a one-sided one had India contained Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka from scoring a second ODI century.
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Chasing a colossal 374-run target, Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals to never look like competing unlike the recently concluded T20I series in spite of making only a lone change to their Playing XI which played the last match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.
Opening batter Pathum Nissanka (72) and all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (47) tried their hands at scoring brisk runs on the back of convincing boundary shots but their combined efforts weren’t enough to challenge the Indian bowlers with respect to the larger picture.
Shanaka, however, didn’t give up without a fight scoring a career-best 108* (88) with the help of 12 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 122.72. Coming in to bat at No. 6 around the halfway mark, Shanaka was successful in continuing his run-spree against India.
Opening the bowling with Mohammed Shami (1/67), Mohammed Siraj (2/30) dented the Sri Lankan top-order by picking wickets in consecutive overs of his first spell. Although Siraj bowled with supreme control, fast bowler Umran Malik was the pick of the Indian bowlers with career-best figures of 8-0-57-3 including him bowling a ball at an express speed of 156 kmph.
IND vs SL Man of the Match 1st ODI
India, who seemed like crossing the 400-run mark on a flat pitch at one point in time, eventually found 373/7 enough to win their first ODI of the year. Powered by their top-order batters namely Rohit Sharma (83), Shubman Gill (70) and Virat Kohli (113), India didn’t miss out an opportunity of making the most of a run-fest.
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Having scored two consecutive centuries for the second time in his ODI career, Kohli was adjudged the Player of the Match for the 37th time in this format. Readers must note that the 34-year old player has won an ODI match award for the first time in the last three years.
45th ODI 💯👏🏻👏🏻💥 @imVkohli
— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 10, 2023
“My preparation and intent always remain the same. I thought I was hitting the ball nicely. It was close to the template I play with. I tried to understand the conditions in the second half. Tried to get a comfortable total for us on the board,” Kohli told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
