Indian team leader Rohit Sharma thinks that the 231-run goal set by Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at the R Premadasa Stadium was achievable. After limiting Sri Lanka to 230/8, it turned into a challenging chase for the Indian team. Despite the strong start by Rohit (58 runs in 47 balls, including seven fours and three sixes), the chase became a tricky situation for the Indian team. However, the Indian team lost some key wickets towards the end, which resulted in the game ending in a tie without a Super Over.
“The score was achievable. You need to play well to reach it. We played well in parts. We didn’t have consistent momentum. We had the advantage. We lost a few wickets,” Rohit said during the post-match presentation.
After Shreyas Iyer was dismissed, Sri Lanka was in a strong position to win the match. India seemed to be losing, with their score at 132-5 after 24.2 overs.
However, Axar Patel (33) and KL Rahul (31) helped India regain their footing by building a 57-run partnership. Once this partnership was over, Shivam Dube nearly led India to victory.
Before Dube could complete the win, he was sent back to the changing room by Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka. With only one run needed in over two overs, the Sri Lankan captain delivered the decisive blow, resulting in the game ending in a tie.
After the game, Rohit thought the outcome was just and mentioned, “The partnership between KL and Axar helped us recover. It was a bit disappointing towards the end. Such things happen. Sri Lanka played well. Overall, the result seemed fair. The pitch stayed consistent. It’s not a surface where you can freely hit shots. You need to work hard. The momentum changed for both sides at various points. We should have managed to get that one extra run.”
India and Sri Lanka will play again in the next one-day international on Sunday at the same location.
