In the Super 4 clash of the Asia Cup 2023, Sri Lanka asserted their dominance with the ball against India on Tuesday, September 12. The co-hosts exhibited a masterful spin attack against Rohit Sharma's side, ultimately bowling out India for a total of 213 runs in 49.1 overs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Dunith Wellalage assumed the role of the chief tormentor for India starting from the 12th over of the game, wreaking havoc upon the entire top order of the Indian batting lineup. With remarkable finesse, Wellalega claimed the prized scalps of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya, sending shockwaves through the Indian camp. India's batsmen found themselves struggling to contend with the substantial turn that Wellalage extracted from the Colombo pitch, as well as the tricky angles he managed to create. Wellalage received solid support from the other members of Sri Lanka's spin arsenal, including Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Charith Asalanka.
After Wellalage's remarkable five-wicket haul, Charith Asalanka completed the job by dismantling the lower order of the Indian side, ultimately limiting India to a total of 213 runs. This was a significant contrast to India's performance just one matchday earlier when they had posted an impressive total of 356 runs on the very same pitch against Pakistan.
Fortune favored the India vs. Sri Lanka fixture, as the match began brightly at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday. This marked India's third consecutive matchday, and they made only one change to their lineup for their second Super 4 game.
Despite a promising start in the initial powerplay, India's batting order crumbled, transitioning from a strong position of 80/0 in 11 overs to a total of 213 runs in 49.1 overs.
The deadly combination of left-arm and right-arm off-spin proved to be a potent weapon for Sri Lanka. Under the leadership of Dasun Shanaka, the Sri Lankan side displayed exceptional fielding prowess, complementing their spinners with outstanding catching and sharp field awareness.
Rohit Sharma emerged as the highest run-scorer for India, amassing 53 runs off 48 balls, while Ishan Kishan (33 off 61) and KL Rahul (39 off 44) delivered crucial contributions to propel India to a respectable score.
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