In a riveting Asia Cup encounter, Kuldeep Yadav emerged as the star for India, overshadowing an exceptional all-round performance by Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage. India secured a hard-fought victory, winning by 41 runs and cementing their place in the final of the tournament.
Kuldeep Yadav’s masterful display saw him claim four crucial wickets, including the final two, as India successfully defended their total of 213 runs. Sri Lanka’s valiant effort fell short as they were bowled out for 172, much to the disappointment of their fervent home crowd gathered at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
This win marked India’s second consecutive triumph in the Super Four stage of the 50-over tournament, which serves as a precursor to the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) World Cup. Notably, it also halted Sri Lanka’s impressive streak of 13 consecutive victories in ODIs.
Dunith Wellalage, who showcased his prowess with a maiden ODI five-wicket haul, remained unbeaten on 42 runs. However, he ran out of partners as left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav orchestrated the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s lower-order batsmen, securing victory for India in 41.3 overs.
India’s triumph in this high-pressure encounter was a testament to their resilience, especially considering they had endured three consecutive days on the field. This demanding schedule followed their resounding victory over Pakistan, where they triumphed by a commanding 228-run margin, although the match had to be played across two days due to rain interruptions.
The upcoming Super Four match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, scheduled for Thursday, will determine the second finalist in the tournament.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, played a pivotal role by scoring 53 runs, providing his team with a brisk start. However, Dunith Wellalage’s remarkable performance tilted the balance in Sri Lanka’s favor.
The 20-year-old Sri Lankan prodigy displayed exceptional bowling skills, finishing with figures of 5-40. He claimed the crucial wickets of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, receiving invaluable support from the part-time spinner Charith Asalanka, who contributed significantly with four wickets for just 18 runs.
Rohit Sharma’s innings enabled him to join an exclusive club of players with over 10,000 ODI runs, and he followed his previous match’s fifty with another impressive performance.
Dunith Wellalage made an immediate impact by dismissing Shubman Gill for 19 runs with his first delivery. His momentum continued as he secured the prized wicket of Virat Kohli, who could only manage three runs a day after a brilliant unbeaten century against Pakistan at the same venue.
Rohit Sharma also fell victim to Wellalage, who claimed his third scalp in as many overs. The duo of Ishan Kishan (33 runs) and the previous match’s centurion KL Rahul attempted to revive India’s innings with a partnership worth 63 runs.
However, Wellalage once again intervened, breaking the partnership by dismissing Rahul for 39 runs, and soon after, claiming his fifth wicket.
Charith Asalanka persistently troubled the Indian batsmen from the other end and found himself on the brink of a hat-trick with India struggling at 186-9. Nevertheless, Axar Patel, aided by a nearly 45-minute rain delay, managed to take India’s total past the 200-run mark with a valuable contribution of 26 runs.
Despite India’s fightback and a disciplined performance by Sri Lanka’s bowlers, they faced consistent pressure. Jasprit Bumrah played his part by taking two crucial wickets, and it was Kuldeep Yadav who clinched his second wicket by dismissing Charith Asalanka.
Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva exhibited a fighting spirit alongside Dunith Wellalage, creating a challenging seventh-wicket partnership worth 63 runs. However, Ravindra Jadeja put an end to their resistance by claiming the wicket of De Silva, who had contributed 41 runs.
In a game marked by breathtaking performances and tense moments, Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliance ultimately propelled India to a well-deserved victory and a coveted spot in the Asia Cup final.
Source AFP
