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Indian bowlers came up with an impressive effort to restrict Sri Lanka to 230-8 after losing the toss and fielding first in the first ODI at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, August 2. Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh claimed two wickets each, while four bowlers picked up one wicket each. For Sri Lanka, Dunith Wellalage top-scored with 67* off 65, while opener Pathum Nissanka contributed 56 off 75.
Mohammed Siraj struck early for India, having Avishka Fernando (1) caught at deep third man as the Sri Lankan opener miscued a full delivery that nipped away and got the leading edge. Shivam Dube then trapped Kusal Mendis (14) lbw as the batter missed a well-directed length ball from the Indian pacer.
Nissanka, who got off to a brisk start, slowed down as wickets fell at the other end. Sadeera Samarawickrama (8) was the third wicket to fall, chipping a length ball from Axar to short cover. Charith Asalanka hammered Washington Sundar for consecutive fours early in his innings, but the Lankan skipper fell to Kuldeep Yadav for 14, edging one that was tossed up outside off to slip.
Nissanka brought up a hard-fought fifty with a single of Sundar. The Sri Lankan opener, however, could not convert his start into a big one. He was trapped lbw by Sundar with a length ball that turned in sharply and beat the inside edge. Nissanka took the review but had to walk back as DRS showed umpire's call.
Wellalage half-century lifts Sri Lanka
Janith Liyanage and Wellalage added 41 for the sixth wicket. The former hammered a half-tracker from part-timer Shubman Gill for a maximum over midwicket. Liyanage, however, was dismissed for 20 as he walked after thinking that he had edged one from Axar that angled in and turned away. Replays, however, showed that there was no bat involved.
Wellalage found some support from Wanindu Hasaranga as the duo added 36 for the seventh wicket. Hasaranga took on Axar and slogged him for a six over midwicket. The Sri Lankan all-rounder was dropped by Indian captain Rohit Sharma at slip off Kuldeep's bowling in the 38th over. In Kuldeep's next over, Hasaranga clobbered a short ball over deep midwicket for a maximum.
Arshdeep, however, broke the threatening stand as Hasaranga (24) slashed a shortish delivery outside off straight to backward point. Wellalage lofted a length ball from the left-arm pacer for a maximum over long-on to take the hosts past 190. He reached his half-century in the 48th over, punching a full toss from Arshdeep to long-on for a single.
Wellalage took on Siraj in the penultimate over as a ramp shot went for four, while a bouncer was pulled over deep backward square leg for a maximum. His defiant knock ensured Sri Lanka had something to bowl at.
