'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Sri Lanka's lower-order came to their rescue for the second game in a row as the hosts recovered from 136-6 to post 240-9 in the second ODI against India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, August 4. After opener Avishka Fernando scored 40 off 62, Dunith Wellalage (39 off 35) and Kamindu Mendis (40 off 44) made crucial contributions down the order. For India, Washington Sundar picked up 3-30 and Kuldeep Yadav 2-33.
Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka got off to a horror start as Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for a golden duck off the first ball of the match. Mohammed Siraj bowled a beauty that came in with the angle and curved away late, forcing the Lankan opener to nick the delivery.
Avishka and Kusal Mendis added 74 for the second wicket to lift the hosts. India kept things tight with the ball, but the Lankan duo ensured that they kept rotating the strike and found the odd boundaries in between. Sundar, however, broke the stand as Avishka chipped a tossed-up delivery straight back to the bowler.
The Indian off-spinner was on a hat-trick as he dismissed Mendis (30 off 42) with the first ball of his next over. Mendis attempted a sweep to a full ball from round the wicket but missed the delivery and was trapped lbw. Axar Patel troubled Sadeera Samarawickrama (14 off 31) and was rewarded with the wicket of the right-hander as he sliced one to cover.
Janith Liyanage (12 off 29) was the next to go, chipping a tossed-up delivery from Kuldeep straight back to the bowler. Sri Lanka skipper captain Charith Asalanka got a start, but could not convert it into a big one. He was out for 25 off 42 balls, dabbing one that turned and bounced from Sundar to backward point.
Dunith Wellalage once again comes to Sri Lanka's rescue
For the second game in a row, Wellalage came to Sri Lanka's rescue with the bat. He took on Axar in the 44th over and steered a length ball for four past the keeper. When Axar pitched one up, Wellalage clobbered a six over deep midwicket. The next over bowled by Siraj began with an overpitched delivery slammed for a maximum over mid-off.
Wellalage's fighting knock ended when he mistimed a reverse sweep off Kuldeep to the left of short third man, where Shivam Dube took a good catch. Kamindu, who was dropped by Dube early in his innings, chipped in with a crucial knock, providing the finishing touches.
Kamindu struck four fours before being run out by a direct hit from Shreyas Iyer, running in from deep midwicket, off the penultimate ball of the innings. Akila Dananjaya was also run out off the last ball, but not before making a handy contribution of 15 from 13 balls.
