Get Newsletter
Notification products, updates
×
×Notification products, updates
August 6, 2024
India has won their last 10 ODI series against Sri Lanka, but this streak could end on Wednesday.
They say the middle overs in an ODI are dull, but India and Sri Lanka are proving otherwise. This series has packed all the excitement into the very period where the 50-over format usually slows down. The reason? They’re playing on pitches that test batters far beyond just technique. At Khettarama, players need to think two overs ahead, resisting the temptation to play an expansive drive, as that inviting half-volley might dip, turn, and catch the edge to slip.
For India, restraint—something they’ve worked hard to avoid over the past two years—is now essential to avoid a blemish on their strong record. India has lost only five out of 22 bilateral ODI series and has won their last 10 series against Sri Lanka. But with this streak set to end regardless of Wednesday’s result, it’s a testament to how well Sri Lanka has played, even without several first-team players. They’ve dominated the middle overs, averaging 24.7 runs and losing just 10 wickets, compared to India’s 17.8 runs and 14 wickets lost.
Rohit Sharma’s aggressive batting at the top has reminded Sri Lankan fans of their own past legends. Similarly, Indian fans might see shades of their former heroes in 21-year-old Dunith Wellalage, who has guided Sri Lanka through consecutive batting collapses with maturity beyond his years. Remarkably, he is one of only two players in this series striking at better than a run a ball—the other being a seasoned veteran who has played ODI cricket for almost as long as Wellalage has been alive.
Whether India levels the series or Sri Lanka wins 2-0, these three matches are proving to be valuable learning experiences for both teams. This highlights why bilateral ODI cricket still matters—though perhaps it doesn’t need to be eight hours long!
Sri Lanka’s last five completed ODIs: Win, Loss, Tie, Win, Loss.
India’s last five completed ODIs: Loss, Tie, Win, Loss, Win.
Virat Kohli has only scored one fifty in his last 15 innings across all formats. Despite this, he doesn’t seem out of form. His deep understanding of ODI cricket suggests that a big score is likely coming soon. Even if it doesn’t, Kohli isn’t overly concerned about his stats as long as he feels good in training and isn’t forcing himself to play. That would be a real concern.
Avishka Fernando offers the best of both worlds. He can elegantly place the ball to the boundary or smash it for big hits. His attacking play comes naturally, almost instinctively. However, he sometimes gets carried away, which is why 26 of his 40 innings have ended at or before 30 runs, and 17 of those were single-digit scores. Fernando will be working hard to prove his talent and secure his place as a key player for Sri Lanka.
In their last game, Sri Lanka used a strong spin attack to great effect, reducing India’s score from 97 for no loss to 147 for 6.
Sri Lanka’s probable lineup:
India might consider whether to include Shivam Dube or Riyan Parag. Dube is a strong spin-hitter, which could be useful, while Parag offers a better bowling option for the conditions. Alternatively, India could drop a fast bowler, bring in Parag, and give Dube the new ball.
India’s probable lineup:
Showers are expected in Colombo both before and during the game, but it’s unlikely the match will be completely washed out. Spinners have bowled more than twice as many balls (812 vs 351) as the fast bowlers and have taken nearly four times as many wickets (29 vs 8). Keep this in mind for the game.
“We have very good batters. When it comes to their attack they’ve got great variety in legspin, offspin and left-arm spin. We need to find a way to put them under pressure. That’s why a left-hander is in the middle in the middle overs.”
Washington Sundar breaks down the importance of a left-hand batter against a quality attack
Oval Invincibles secured a comfortable seven-wicket win over Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred at Emirates Old Trafford. Chasing a target of 126 after the Originals scored 125 for 4, Invincibles reached 127 for 3 thanks to an unbeaten 67-run partnership between Paige Scholfield and Marizanne Kapp. Scholfield scored 48 off 27 balls, while Chamari Athapaththu set a solid base with 33 from 36 balls.
The Invincibles’ fielding was impressive, featuring several sharp catches, with Australian leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington leading the bowling effort with 2 for 22. Both teams were eager to bounce back after recent losses; the Originals had been defeated by Northern Superchargers, and the Invincibles had drawn their previous match against London Spirit. This win puts the Invincibles in second place on the points table.
The Originals started slowly, scoring 25 without loss in the powerplay. Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney briefly accelerated their scoring, but Mooney was dismissed by a sharp catch from Seren Smale and Wolvaardt was caught by Ryana MacDonald-Gay. The Originals struggled to score boundaries, managing none for 34 balls, although Sophie Ecclestone added a valuable 26 not out from 15 balls.
In response, Athapaththu and captain Lauren Winfield-Hill put on 48 for the first wicket. Despite losing Winfield-Hill and Alice Capsey in quick succession, and Athapaththu being dismissed for 33, Scholfield’s aggressive batting, combined with Kapp’s quick runs, led the Invincibles to victory with seven balls to spare.
Meerkat Match Hero Scholfield said: “I really enjoyed it. We’ve had a couple of tough games in a row. You learn more from losing than winning and we went away and studied what was going on and I think we were more disciplined today.
“We just spoke about nudging her (Sophie Ecclestone) around and getting rotation of strike going and then going after the other bowlers.”
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
Stay Tuned With Updates
