India rout Sri Lanka once more sending an ominous warning to the rest in the World Cup. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor).
India sent tremors through the World Cup with another demolition of a completely out of tune Sri Lanka and duck season would best describe the Islanders pathetic run chase at Wankhede stadium.
If there were doubts about the one sided Asia Cup final, India dispelled all of them as their bowlers ran riot to give them five more runs, 50 all out in the Asia Cup, and 55 all out here and a 302 run win.
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Chasing 357 Sri Lanka were never in with a chance as Mohamed Shami and Mohamed Siraj wreaked havoc on a clueless Sri Lanka batting line-up after Jasprit Bumrah prised out usually consistent Pathum Nissanka in his first ball.
This set the stage for what could be a record five ducks in the World Cup to Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrema, Dushan Hemantha and Dushmantha Chameera. Mendis and Asalanka scored one in another sad day in Sri Lanka’s cricket history.
Five ducks two made one and only three batters in the lower order making double figures, was the emphatic message Sri Lanka got as they were unceremoniously dumped from another World Cup in the preliminary rounds.
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As a team, they have proved to be sub standard and justifiably stare down the barrel of being relegated to having to qualify for the Champions Trophy coming up.
India’s frightening dominance at the top of the table suggests this to be one of the best ever the country has produced in a World Cup. It also underlines a huge gap between them and the rest barring South Africa and perhaps Australia.
Only a hiccup in the final under the weight of expectation from a cricket crazy nation can stop this Indian juggernaut.
Left arm paceman Dilshan Madushanka was a lone sentinel in an otherwise lacklustre Sri Lanka whose fielding was acceptable standard, while the continued inconsistency in their bowling and batting has left much to be desired. How this team can carry on and not face repercussions when they return home will be on the minds of fans and administrators alike.
Madushanka’s vain effort bagged him 5 for 80 off 10 overs and a spot at the top of wicket takers in the competition to be Sri Lanka’s only beacon light. He single-handedly brought Sri Lanka back to what appeared a reasonably gettable target.
The bigger problem is that it also exposes the lack of depth in the country’s available talent seeing the only noticeable absentee from the best available is Wanindu Hasarsnga De Silva. There needs to be serious soul searching in this respect.
It didn’t take rocket science to work out that Sri Lanka would be humbled in Mumbai by a dominant India. But they did themselves no favours when opportunities presented, and they spilled them to let destiny take its course.
Such is the predictability of a team that has plenty to work on as the stumble towards elimination, the graphic shows them to be sub standard in the field making former stars like Roy Dias, Roshan Mahaname, and more recently Tillekeratne Dilshan cringe at how poor they have slumped to.
In their heyday, Sri Lanka prided themselves in the field strangling teams to defend gettable targets. The team is struggling to get fluency right now. If the bowlers gain success, the batters let them down or vice versa. Adding to it is ragged fielding which let teams off the hook. The game against Netherlands is case in point.
Dilshan Madushanka gave them a dream start removing dangerous Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. Then shocking fielding gave Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill lives, they ensured that Sri Lanka paid a hefty price for it, and they got no respite.
The duo took full advantage of the benefits to scatter the Sri Lanka attack, racing to half centuries at a run a ball. They then continued to heap on the pain as a hapless Sri Lanka prayed that they did not need to qualify for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Kohli was in majestic form as was Gill steering India to a commanding total. Both fell short of deserved centuries. Nothing seemed threatening for India with the duo in total control and so it was in the end. Shreyas Iyre continued where Kohli and Gill left off to take India to an unassailable target.
India raced to 193 before Madushanka bowled a beauty to Shubman Gill that enticed Gill to a fancy shot which beat the outside edge and Mendis took an easy catch. Gill missed out on a well deserved century departing for 92. Virat Kohli departed shortly after for 88 as Madushanka enticed him to a false stroke from a slower delivery.
With India threatening a 400 plus total, Sri Lanka were able to peg them back to 357 for 8 saving them some blushes.
But Jasprit Bumrah removed Pathum Nissanka for a first ball duck starting a familiar procession before Mohammed Shami 5 for 18 off 5 overs and bogey man Mohamed Siraj 3 for 16 off 7 overs, rattled the rest to complete Sri Lanka’s humiliation. Jadeja completed the Sri Lankan misery claiming the last wicket.
Sri Lanka will have to possess nerves of steel to come back from this debacle in the games ahead against Bangladesh and New Zealand. I certainly looks like mission impossible.
