At the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in Mumbai, India defeated Sri Lanka by 302 runs thanks to a devastating three-pronged pace assault.
India beat Sri Lanka: In the first 19 deliveries of the second innings, India’s pacers, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, reduced Sri Lanka to 3/4. They were at their best when faced with the new ball.
Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer all scored half-centuries to light up the first innings, but India’s seam attack took over and dominated Sri Lanka in a show held beneath the Wankhede Stadium’s lights.
In just his 14th outing at the Men’s Cricket World Cup, Mohammed Shami emerged as India’s top wicket-taker, grabbing 5/18 from five overs as the main contribution.
But Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s superb performances had already given India a dominating lead. During a brutal opening powerplay, Sri Lanka was four down for just three runs at one stage.
The outcome was India’s most important World Cup victory to date, the second-largest margin of victory in a World Cup (behind only Australia’s triumph against the Netherlands a week ago), and the fourth-largest margin of victory by runs in the history of men’s ODI cricket.
Earlier, Dilshan Madushanka removed Rohit Sharma (4) early, and Kohli and Gill combined to create an incredible partnership of 189 runs for the second wicket, laying the groundwork for India to score a significant amount.
Madushanka removed Gill for a quick 92 and then removed Kohli for 88, but neither player was able to reach triple digits.
But Iyer’s brilliant 82 from 56 deliveries helped India gain momentum in the latter stages, giving Sri Lanka a difficult 358 to win target.
With five wickets in the end, Madushanka outscored five of India’s top six batsmen in an incredible individual display. His efforts were eclipsed, though, by the opposition’s fast bowlers, who wowed the Mumbai audience with an amazing display.
During the powerplay, India’s new-ball bowlers destroyed Sri Lanka after amassing their best tournament total. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took off the top four batsmen in an incredible early burst of wickets.
Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pathum Nissanka, and Dimuth Karunaratne all left the game without making a score, with both openers being dismissed by the first ball they faced. In a surprising change of events, Sri Lanka crumbled to four down with Captain Kusal Mendis able to add just one run.
Nissanka (0) was out of the game with the opening delivery of the innings, trapped leg before wicket by a signature Bumrah inswinger. In the same over, Siraj also removed Karunaratne with his first ball of the innings and went on to dismiss Samarawickrama.
Siraj bowled Mendis with such velocity that it clipped the top of the off-stump and broke the bails, effectively ending any hope Sri Lanka had left.
Mohammed Shami claimed two wickets in two deliveries, making the score 14/6, which made matters worse for Sri Lanka.
Shami was the first to dismiss Charith Asalanka, who managed a determined 24-ball 1, and he was also responsible for dismissing Dushan Hemantha for a golden duck, making him the third batsman to be dismissed.
With impressive figures of 5/18, Shami’s outstanding World Cup campaign continued as he destroyed Sri Lanka’s middle and lower order.
Siraj finished with figures of 3/16 from seven overs after a stunning opening stint, while Bumrah finished with 1/8 from five.
Astonished by India’s batting prowess, the Wankhede crowd left. In the afternoon in Mumbai, Kusal Mendis won the toss and elected to bowl first. When Dilshan Madushanka removed Rohit Sharma (4) with the match’s second ball, the choice appeared wise.
There were some difficult deliveries from Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera for India’s top order. Following the initial Powerplay, the pair took advantage of a pitch that was getting more and more bat-friendly.
By the midway point of the innings, India was averaging six runs per over, with Kohli getting his second ODI fifty in the 17th over and Gill reaching his own in the 19th.
“Madushanka’s comeback to the attack turned the tide, and he bowled Gill out for a century as Gill edged the ball ahead of the keeper, just when he appeared to be accelerating the scoring rate even more.”
With yet another cheap shot, Madushanka removed Kohli, making things better for Sri Lanka. The senior Indian player tried to put the ball through covers, but he gave Pathum Nissanka a catch instead, leaving at 88.
After Gill and Kohli were removed from the game, India’s innings was rebuilt in its second phase by KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Iyer launched an attack from one end while Rahul secured the other.
In the 36th over, Iyer scored the highest hit of the competition with a huge six off Kasun Rajitha, measuring 106 metres.
Amid shouts from the Wankhede fans, Suryakumar Yadav, a Mumbai player, entered the pitch after Dushmantha Chameera bowled Rahul for 21.
In the final ten overs of the first inning, the game reached a perfect balance when the dangerous Madushanka removed the big-hitting number six for just 12 runs, despite starting with two flawless consecutive fours.
After completing his fifty, Shreyas Iyer unleashed a storm of sixes, smashing six maximums in his superb 82 off 56 balls. Madushanka, who ended with 5/80 from her ten overs, dismissed him.
India achieved 357/8 despite some late hitting from Ravindra Jadeja. They may have been a little unhappy not to have scored more runs, though.
The encounter reminded people of the recent Asia Cup Final between the same two countries, but the bowlers made sure the objective was never in danger.
It is quite improbable that Sri Lanka will make it to the tournament’s final four after their loss. India may now look forward to playing in the semi-finals, maybe in less than two weeks on the same pitch.