India vs Sri Lanka 2021, 2nd ODI: Deepak Chahar's late blitz hands India an unassailable 2-0 series lead

Sri Lanka came up with a better batting performance. It posted an average total of 270/6 in the second One-Day International at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. Avishka Fernando's 50, assisted by Charith Asalanka's 65 and Chamika Karunaratne's unbeaten 44, helped the host steer to the total.

Winning the toss, Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka elected to bat as he made a change, bringing in Kasun Rajitha for Isuru Udana. As for Indian skipper Shikhar Dhawan, he moved in with the unchanged XI.

The openers (Fernando and Minod Bhanuka) were off to a decent start, contributing to a 77-run opening stand before the latter fell for 36 in the 14th over to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, followed by Bhanuka Rajapaksa off the very next delivery in the same over. Nevertheless, the loss of two quick wickets did not hurt Lanka, as the pair of Fernando and Dhananjaya de Silva contributed to a 47-run stand for the third wicket.

During this phase, Fernando brought up his fourth ODI half-century before departing for 50 to seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 25th over. Just ten runs later, at 134, de Silva followed him back for 36 off pacer Deepak Chahar in the 28th over.

It was followed by a 58-run stand between Asalanka and Shanaka for the fifth wicket before the latter was cleaned up by Chahal for 16 in the 36th over. At 194 in the 40th over, Wanindu Hasaranga fell for a mere eight to Chahar, who knocked him over with a beautiful slow delivery.

Nevertheless, Asalanka and Chamika Karunaratne contributed to another 50-run stand for the seventh wicket before the former departed for 65 to Bhuvneshwar in the 48th. In the meantime, as Lanka upped its ante, pulling off the shots and scoring in the closing stages, wickets continued to tumble, as, at 264, Dushmantha Chameera was dismissed for a mere couple by the same man in the final over.

Just a run later, Lakshan Sandakan was run out for an unfortunate duck after a clever wicketkeeping work by Ishan Kishan. Nonetheless, Karunaratne struck a couple of fours in the final two deliveries to take Lanka to 275/9, besides staying unbeaten at 44.

As for the Indians, six bowlers were put into the attack. While Chahal and Bhuvneshwar turned out to be the most successful in terms of wickets, spinner Krunal Pandya was the most economical.

India came up with a spirited yet phenomenal batting performance to tame Sri Lanka by three wickets in the second One-Day International at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. It was pacer Deepak Chahar whose match-winning performance with the bat this time played a remarkable role, as India now has an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series.

In reply, India lost opener Prithvi Shaw early, in the third over, after being bowled up by spinner Hasaranga for 13 in the third over with just 28 runs on the board. Just 11 runs later, India suffered another setback as Ishan Kishan was dismissed similarly by pacer Kasun Rajitha for just a single in the fifth over.

India struggled to get the partnerships, as at 65, Dhawan was trapped leg-before by Hasaranga for 29 in the 12th over. Nevertheless, it was followed by a 50-run stand between Manish Pandey and Suryakumar Yadav before the former fell for 37 to Sandakan in the 18th. At the same time, Hardik Pandya departed for an unfortunate duck to the same man in the same over.

Reeling at 116/5, it was followed by a 44-run stand between Suryakumar and Krunal Pandya, while the former brought up his maiden ODI half-century. However, in the 27th over, at 160, he was trapped leg-before by Sandakan for 53.

With pressure piling, the pair of Krunal and Chahar managed 33 for the seventh wicket. However, the former was cleaned up by Hasaranga for 35 in the 36th over.

Nevertheless, the pair of Chahar and Bhuvneshwar looked determined to get the job done, as they contributed to an 84-run stand for the eighth wicket. While Chahar scored his maiden ODI half-century, he hit the winning runs to stay unbeaten on 69.

In the meantime, Lanka used as many as seven bowlers, with Hasaranga being the most effective. Although Shanka and de Silva turned out to be the most economical ones, they failed to aid Lanka to avoid a series defeat.
Brief scores: Lanka 275/9 (Fernando- 50, Asalanka- 65, Karunaratne- 44*; Chahal- 3/50, Bhuvneshwar- 3/54) lost to India 277/7 in 49.1 overs (Suryakumar- 53, Chahar- 69*; Hasaranga- 3/37) by three wickets.

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