Sri Lanka Wins ODI Series Against India After 27 Years: Rohit Sharma Reflects on Loss
Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 8: After India’s series loss to Sri Lanka, Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma expressed concerns about the team’s performance against spin bowling. Sri Lanka won the series 2-0, marking their first ODI series victory against India in 27 years.
Key Performances
Avishka Fernando’s impressive 96-run innings and Dunith Wellalage’s five-wicket haul were crucial in Sri Lanka’s 110-run win over India in the third ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium. This match was India’s first ODI series after their loss to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final last year.
Rohit Sharma’s Comments
In the post-match press conference, Rohit Sharma highlighted that the Sri Lankan batters were effective with sweep shots, which the Indian team failed to execute. He noted, “They were consistent with sweeps, taking their chances. We did not play enough sweeps, reverse sweeps, or paddle sweeps.”
Rohit also mentioned that the Indian team struggled against the Lankan spinners and emphasized the importance of scoring runs during the powerplay on slow pitches. He said, “My personal effort was to ensure that I score as many runs as I could. It was not as if I wanted to throw my wicket away after the powerplay.”
Match Summary
After winning the toss, Sri Lanka chose to bat and scored 248/7 in their 50 overs, with notable contributions from Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, and Pathum Nissanka. Riyan Parag was the top bowler for India with 3/54.
In response, India struggled on the spinning pitch and was bowled out for 138 in 26.1 overs. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Washington Sundar were the only Indian batsmen to show some resistance. Dunith Wellalage was named ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the Series’ for his outstanding performance.
Doubts Revealed
ODI -: ODI stands for One Day International. It’s a type of cricket match that lasts for one day, with each team playing a fixed number of overs, usually 50.
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a country in South Asia, located to the south of India. It has its own cricket team that competes internationally.
Rohit Sharma -: Rohit Sharma is an Indian cricketer and the captain of the Indian cricket team in this series. He is known for his excellent batting skills.
Avishka Fernando -: Avishka Fernando is a Sri Lankan cricketer who played very well in the series against India, helping his team win.
Dunith Wellalage -: Dunith Wellalage is another Sri Lankan cricketer who performed exceptionally well in the series, earning him the ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the Series’ awards.
Spin -: In cricket, spin refers to a type of bowling where the ball is made to rotate, making it difficult for the batsman to hit. Spinners are bowlers who specialize in this.
Sweep shots -: Sweep shots are a type of cricket shot where the batsman kneels and swings the bat horizontally to hit the ball, usually against spin bowlers.
Virat Kohli -: Virat Kohli is a famous Indian cricketer known for his excellent batting. He is one of the best players in the world.
Washington Sundar -: Washington Sundar is an Indian cricketer who plays as an all-rounder, meaning he can both bat and bowl.
Player of the Match -: Player of the Match is an award given to the best player in a particular game.
Player of the Series -: Player of the Series is an award given to the best player over the entire series of matches.
