India canter to seven-wicket win in first ODI, takes 1-0 lead

Chamika Karunaratne on the charge during his unbeaten cameo knock of 43 not out off 35 balls

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

India won the first ODI against Sri Lanka in a canter as they made short work of a below par total of 262 by cruising to a comprehensive seven-wicket win with 80 balls to spare at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday to go one-up in the three-match series.

Sri Lankan won the first round by winning the toss but that was as far as they got in the contest from there onwards it was India all the way despite a cameo career best knock of 43 not out off 35 balls from all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne that saw them eventually to a total of 262-9.

But on a flat batting surface against a strong Indian batting line-up, it turned out to be a totally one-sided contest after Man of the Match Prithvi Shaw had got his side off to an explosive start with a stunning knock of 43 off 24 balls (9 fours) in a stand of 58 off 33 balls that made his captain Shikhar Dhawan look a mere spectator.

Following Shaw’s dismissal in the sixth over, it was birthday debutant Ishan Kishan who took on the role of aggressor as he dominated a second wicket partnership of 85 off 74 balls with Dhawan. Kishan clearly made his intentions clear by hitting the first ball he received on debut for a six to become only the second Indian to do so after Gursharan Singh against Australia at Hamilton in 1990. He raced to a stroke-filled 59 off 42 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes) before being dismissed. But by that time India were well ahead on the run rate that it was just a mere walk in the park for the rest of the batsmen to get to the target. Manesh Pandey who made 26 helped Dhawan add a further 72 off 79 balls. All this time Dhawan usually an aggressive stroke player was merely content to play second fiddle at one end and allowed his younger charges to express themselves at the other.

But so good was the Indian run rate that Dhawan eventually finished on 86 not out off 95 balls (6 fours, 1 six) when victory was achieved.

The difference between the two sides were the partnerships that played a crucial role in determining the final result. India put together stands of 58, 85 and 72 for the first three wickets whereas Sri Lanka’s best was 49 for the first and the fifth wickets.

Sri Lanka’s batting was tied down by the Indian spin trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya who between them took five wickets whilst conceding 126 runs off 29 overs.

The story of the Lankan batting was that they had lots of starts but no one really went onto play an innings of substance. The top six batters soaked up the pressure but after that they simply threw away their wickets. They gave the impression that they played the Indian bowlers especially the spinners merely on instinct and assumption rather than on familiarity.

The second ODI commences at the same venue tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Ishan Kishan launches into a drive on his way to a debut half-century