India, chasing a target of 249, crumbled to 138 all out in just 26.1 overs, marking their third consecutive batting collapse in the series.This decisive victory gave Sri Lanka a 2-0 series win after the first match ended in a tie.
Reflecting on the win, Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana emphasized the advantage his team held on the spinning tracks of Premadasa Stadium. “They (India) usually play on good wickets and small boundaries in India. We knew playing in Premadasa, if there’s a little bit of turn, we can take advantage because we have good spinners,” Theekshana stated.
Theekshana’s comments shed light on the strategic differences that played a crucial role in the series outcome. India’s batsmen, accustomed to playing on flatter pitches with shorter boundaries, struggled against the turning ball in Sri Lankan conditions. In contrast, Sri Lanka’s batsmen, familiar with such conditions from domestic cricket, navigated the challenges effectively.
“Even in domestic, the wickets are like this and our batters know how to play,” Theekshana added, crediting the team’s batting performance to their experience on similar pitches.
The series win was a significant morale boost for Sri Lanka, especially after their 3-0 defeat in the preceding T20 series.
“For me, it’s a confidence-booster as a team. We lost the T20 series 3-0. The whole team was disappointed and we took it as motivation. Very happy to play the last game and win the series after 1997. It’s a huge victory for us and I am really proud to be part of the XI,” Theekshana expressed.
The third ODI saw Sri Lanka’s bowlers dominate from the start.
“When we were batting first, we thought the wicket would be much better than the first two matches. We had to bowl more good deliveries than the last couple of matches. Rohit came into bat and attacked me, Asitha got a good start, came back and got Shubman, and then Wellalage was brilliant, Vandersay did a great job… Hasaranga in the first game, Akila bowled economically in both games. I wanted to bowl more dot balls. It was a team effort. All the players contributed, that’s why we ended up winning 2-0,” Theekshana elaborated.
Sri Lanka’s top-order batsmen played crucial roles throughout the series, leveraging their experience and understanding of the local conditions to build significant innings against the Indian attack. This historic series win is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s confidence and momentum in future international competitions.