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Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay starred with sensational figures of 6-33 as Sri Lanka beat India by 32 runs in the second ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, August 4. Coming in as a replacement for the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, the 34-year-old ran through the strong Indian batting lineup and lifted the hosts to a famous win.
Although he made his international debut in 2015, Vandersay has only featured in one Test, 22 ODIs and 14 T20Is, with Hasaranga being the preferred leg-spinner, especially in the white-ball formats. The Sri Lankan spinner has claimed 33 wickets in one-dayers at an average of 26.73 and seven wickets in T20Is at an economy rate of 8.01. He claimed two wickets in the only Test he played.
Vandersay's figures of 6-33 are among the best by a Sri Lankan spinner against India in the one-day format. On that note, let's take a look at the five best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan spinner in ODIs against India.
#5 Dunith Wellalage (5-40) - September 2023, Colombo
Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage starred with 5-40 in the Super 4 match of the Asia Cup in Colombo in September 2023. The youngster also scored an unbeaten 42 with the bat apart from taking two catches. His effort, however, went in vain as India won the contest by 41 runs.
Wellalage dismissed Shubman Gill (19) with his first ball, cleaning him up by beating the Indian opener in flight. He then got the big wicket of Virat Kohli (3), who chipped one straight to short midwicket. Wellalage also sent back Rohit Sharma (53) with one that skidded and kept low.
The Sri Lankan spinner also sent back KL Rahul (39), who chipped a return catch off one that gripped and turned. Wellalage completed his five-fer by having Hardik Pandya caught behind for 5. Thanks to the left-arm spinner's brilliance India were all out for 213, but Sri Lanka were bowled out for 172 in reply.
#4 Akila Dananjaya (6-54) - August 2017, Pallekele
Sri Lanka's Akila Dananjaya, who can bowl both off-spin and leg-spin, claimed 6-54 in Kandy in the second ODI of the five-match series against India. Dananjaya's effort also went in vain, though, as the visitors won the contest by three wickets.
Chasing a DLS target of 231 in 47 overs, India got off to a great start as Rohit (54) and Shikhar Dhawan (49) added 109. Dananjaya broke the stand by trapping Rohit lbw as he missed his sweep. He then cleaned Kedar Jadhav, Kohli and Rahul for single-figure scores.
The 30-year-old completed a five-fer by having Pandya stumped for a duck and made it six for the game when he trapped Axar Patel (6) leg before. MS Dhoni (45*) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (53*), however, guided India to an incredible win.
#3 Jeffrey Vandersay (6-33) - August 2024, Colombo
Vandersay's stunning effort of 6-33 features in the top three among Sri Lankan spinners with the best figures in ODIs against India. Chasing 241, the Men in Blue crumbled from 97-0 to 208 all out as Vandersay and Charith Asalanka (3-20) spun a web around India's batters.
Vandersay broke the opening stand as Rohit (64) perished to the reverse sweep. Gill (35) was then caught at leg-slip as he edged one. The leggie trapped Shivam Dube (0), Kohli (14) and Shreyas Iyer (7) to complete his five-fer. He made it six for the game by knocking over Rahul for a duck.
#2 Ajantha Mendis (6-13) - July 2008, Karachi
Ajantha Mendis' famous spell of 6-13 occupies the second spot on the list of best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan spinner against India in the one-day format. The mystery spinner ran through India's batting line in the final of the 2008 Asia Cup in Karachi as the Men in Blue were bundled out for 173 in a chase of 274.
Mendis had Virender Sehwag (60) stumped off a carrom ball. He then knocked over Yuvraj Singh (0) and Suresh Raina (16) with deliveries that skidded through. The Sri Lankan spinner also trapped Rohit (3) leg before with a length ball that cut in. He completed a five-fer by forcing Irfan Pathan (2) to edge a googly to first slip. Mendis finished with six as a clueless RP Singh (0) was also bowled.
#1 Muttiah Muralitharan (7-30) - October 2000, Sharjah
Not surprisingly, Muttiah Muralitharan is on top of the list among Sri Lankan spinners with the best bowling figures against India in ODIs. He claimed 7-30 in the final of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy in October 2000. Thanks to Murali's brilliance, India were bowled out for 226 in a chase of 295.
Muralitharan got into the wicket-taking act by having Robin Singh (31) caught off a flighted delivery. The Sri Lankan legend then got the big scalp of Sachin Tendulkar (61), who lofted one to long-on. Yuvraj Singh (7) was the next to go as he cut one straight to Tillakaratne Dilshan. Vinod Kambli then fell for 10, chipping a simple return catch to Muralitharan.
Hemang Badani (42) did all the hard work, but then gifted his wicket away, attempting a reverse sweep. Sunil Joshi (3) hit one straight up in the air, attempting a slog across the line. Muralitharan had his seventh when Vijay Dahiya (40) lofted one straight to the fielder in the deep on the leg side.
