Cricket Photos

Sri Lanka Upset India by Five Wickets in Pune to go 1-0 up

February 09, 2016 23:23

Sri Lanka defeated a strong India side by five-wickets to pull off a stunning five-wicket win in Pune and go 1-0 up in the three-match series.

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Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl on a green track in Pune. India were immediately jolted as they lost Rohit Sharma for 0 to Kasun Rajitha thanks to a fine catch from Dushmantha Chameera. (All pictures are from BCCI)
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Rajitha went on to pick the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane in his first over as India got off to a woeful start. The right-arm pacer was having a fabulous debut.
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Rajitha could have got his third wicket when Suresh Raina was dropped at third man by Avishka Gunathilaka. However, he managed to get the big wicket of Shikhar Dhawan for nine as India slid further.
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Rajitha, however, was not denied his third wicket as Shikhar Dhawan played a rash stroke to be dismissed for 9.
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Yuvraj Singh got off the mark with a six and it seemed that Pune would be geared up for a Yuvi-special.
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However, Dushmantha Chameera had troubled Yuvraj with a short-pitched barrage. In the end, Yuvraj tamely top-edged a pull and the bowler took the catch.
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Suresh Raina looked to be in confident touch but he was cleaned up by Dasun Shanaka for 20. In the same over, Shanaka picked up the wicket of MS Dhoni for 2 as India stumbled to 58/7.
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Ravichandran Ashwin held the lower order together and he ensured that India would not be bowled out for 74, their lowest Twenty20 score which they achieved against Australia in 2008.
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Ashwin, in partnership with Ashish Nehra, ensured India reached 100 but the Sri Lankan bowlers continued to peg away.
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Dasun Shanaka picked up three wickets while Rajitha also picked up three wickets as India were bowled out for 101, their third-lowest Twenty20 international score and their second-lowest at home.
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In response, Sri Lanka also got off to a bad start as Nehra removed Avishka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella as India fought admirably.
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Dinesh Chandimal, the Sri Lankan skipper and Chamara Kapugedera, stitched together a 39-run partnership to get Sri Lanka closer to the score.
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However, Ashwin dismissed Kapugedera and Shanaka as India hung in there.
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Chandimal contributed a vital 35 but he was trapped in front by Suresh Raina. Sri Lanka needed just 18 runs to win and it was a bit too late for India.
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Milinda Siriwardana struck a boundary and a six off Jasprit Bumrah to ensure that Sri Lanka won the match by five wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

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