Defiant KL Rahul guides Team India to series win over Sri Lanka after bowlers shine in Kolkata

KL Rahul scored a patient 64* off 103 balls as Team India beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in the second ODI at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, January 12. With the win, the hosts also clinched the three-match series with a game to spare.

Bowling first after losing the toss, India did well to restrict the Lankans to 215. Rahul and Hardik Pandya (36 off 53) then added 75 runs for the fifth wicket to pave the way for the Men in Blue’s victory. Although the hosts lost six wickets, they got home with ease, with 40 balls to spare.

Chasing 216, India got off to a confident start as boundaries flowed off Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill’s bats. The Indian captain even pulled Lahiru Kumara for a six over fine leg in the fourth over. Chamika Karunaratne, however, got the breakthrough for Sri Lanka. He had Rohit caught behind for 17 as the ace batter tried to punch a length ball through covers.

Gill began the next over with consecutive fours off Kumara, but was out on the third delivery for 21 off 12, guiding a short-of-a-length delivery to short midwicket. The Sri Lankan pacer kept the visitors in the hunt by getting the big wicket of Virat Kohli (four).

The in-form batter looked to defend a length ball that came in but only managed to inside edge the ball onto the stumps. Kohli’s dismissal left Team India in a spot of bother at 62/3 in the 10th over.

Shreyas Iyer looked good for his 28, but he could not convert his start as he was trapped lbw by a probing Kasun Rajitha. Rahul and Pandya lifted the Men in Blue with a crucial fifth-wicket stand. With the run rate not being an issue, both batters were content rotating the strike while hitting the odd boundary in between.

The partnership put Team India on course for victory before Hardik was dismissed against the run of play, nicking a length ball outside off from Karunaratne to the keeper. Following Hardik's exit, Axar Patel chipped in with a run-a-ball 21. He perished to Dhananjaya de Silva, caught on the boundary while attempting a big hit.

After Axar’s departure, Rahul reached a patient 93-ball half-century by guiding Rajitha to deep square leg for a single. Kuldeep Yadav (10*) came in and hit the winning runs with a flat-bat four off Kumara.

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Siraj, Kuldeep restrict Sri Lanka to 215

Mohammed Siraj (3/30) and Kuldeep (3/51) claimed three wickets each as India held Sri Lanka to 215 in 39.4 overs after losing the toss and bowling first. Sri Lanka got off to a good start and were 102/1 at one stage. But India’s kept bowlers kept striking once the stand was broken and never allowed Sri Lanka to fight back.

Siraj struck early again, cleaning up Avishka Fernando (20) with a wobble-seam delivery that nipped back sharply. Debutant Nuwanidu (50) and Kusal Mendis (34) added 73 for the second wicket to put the visitors in a strong position. Kuldeep broke the resolute stand by trapping Mendis lbw with a wrong'un.

Axar then bowler Dhananjaya de Silva for a golden duck. Nuwanidu reached an impressive fifty on debut, but disaster struck for Sri Lanka immediately after that as he was run out following a mix-up with Charith Asalanka. There was no rescue act from Dasun Shanaka (two) this time. Kuldeep bowled him as he missed his sweep.

The left-arm spinner then sent back Asalanka (15), who lobbed a simple return catch. Wanindu Hasaranga contributed a swift 21 before falling to Umran Malik. The fast bowler also added the scalp of Karunaratne for 17.

Dunith Wellalage and Rajitha added 38 runs for the ninth wicket. However, Siraj returned to claim the last two wickets in one over. Wellalage (32) gave a catch to backward point, while Kumara (0) was bowled off the inside edge.

Sri Lanka fought hard with the ball in hand but just did not have enough runs on the board to defend.