Sri Lanka 230 for 8 (Wellalage 67*, Nissanka 56, Axar 2-33, Arshdeep 2-47) tied with India 230 (Rohit 58, Axar 33, Asalanka 3-30, Hasaranga 3-58) in an ODI cricket match. Charith Asalanka led Sri Lanka for the first time by dismissing Shivam Dube and No. Arshdeep Singh was dismissed off successive balls on a slow, dry Khettarama turner.
India needed five off 18 balls with just two wickets in hand, making it an anyone's game. Dube was threatening to switch into his IPL spin-hitting mode, but Asalanka took responsibility upon himself on a surface that had already been used for Qualifier 2 in the LPL last month. Dube scored the third run through the covers after playing out the first two balls of the 48th over. Asalanka pinned Dube lbw next ball with a slider from around the wicket for 25 off 24 balls. Dube was originally given not out, but a successful review from Asalanka overturned the on-field decision and brought the crowd alive.
Sri Lanka's seam attack has been ravaged by injury and illness, but their spin attack is so well stocked that they could afford to leave out Maheesh Theekshana and still field four spinners, including Asalanka. Wristspinner Hasaranga, mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya, and left-arm fingerspinner Dunith Wellalage also played their roles with the ball in the win. Wellalage triggered India's slide by snagging Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma in successive overs after they had forged a 75-run opening stand off 76 balls.
Shivam Dube hit a couple of sixes in his 25 off 24 but could not take India home. Hasaranga kept Kohli to five off ten balls before he trapped him with a fizzing skidder. Rahul then repaired India's innings with a 57-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Axar Patel. After playing risk-free cricket for most of his innings, Rahul tried to slog-sweep Hasaranga only to miscue it to midwicket for 31 off 43 balls. Axar attempted to lead India's chase of 231, but was dismissed by Asalanka with a significant offbreak, allowing 33 runs off 57 balls.
Sri Lanka's powerplay was more sedate, with 45 dots played out and only 33 runs scored. Mohammed Siraj and Dube made early inroads for India, but Pathum Nissanka blunted them and India's spinners with a 67-ball half-century. Wellalage countered Washington's offspin, hitting him for 20 off 21 balls and showing glimpses of his power, clearing Siraj at wide long-on.
The captain of Sri Lanka, Axar, led the team with a strong performance, guiding Rohit for 14 off 21 balls. Axar then set the scene for the day by finding an immediate turn and bounce, allowing Nissanka to check his drive to extra cover. The pitch offered plenty of purchase to the spinners, and Axar tossed the ball into footmarks created by Arshdeep. However, Sri Lanka's spinners outperformed India's, forcing an unlikely tie and requiring a strong response to win the ODI series.