Read it in Hindi.

Read it in Marathi.

Not as many runs were scored in Kolkata, but the drama quotient remained super high. A sturdy effort was needed from the Indian batters to see off the Lankan bowlers at the Eden Gardens, but KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya were up to the task.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Sri Lanka squandered a solid start and posted a 216-run target for the hosts. Early wickets kept the anxiety levels in the stadium high, but Rahul eased things up towards the end to help India take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Spinners on the charge!

Debutant Nuwanindu Fernando and Kusal Mendis added 73 runs for the second wicket, scoring at over a run-a-ball. Skipper Rohit Sharma gave the pacers some rest and brought spinners into action, who immediately produced breakthroughs.

Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel got wickets in their first overs, and half-centurion Nuwanindu fell prey to some outstanding fielding by Shubman Gill. Kuldeep then picked up two more wickets in his next two overs, also dismissing the dangerous Dasun Shanaka.

Lower order to the rescue for Sri Lanka

Wanindu Hasaranga kicked off a late fightback from the Islanders with his 17-ball 21. Dunith Wellalage and Kasun Rajitha added a crucial 38-run partnership later which took them past the 200-mark. Siraj returned to the bowling attack and got the final two wickets in one over as Sri Lanka got bowled out for 215 with more than 10 overs remaining.

An action-packed powerplay

India got off to a dramatic start after the break. The Hitman, who scored ODI history’s highest ever individual score the last time these two teams met at Eden Gardens, was gifted a few “hit-me-hard” short deliveries and Gill displayed some textbook drives. However, the openers fell in quick succession and Virat Kohli was foxed by the lack of bounce, reducing India to 62-3.

Nine boundaries, one six, three wickets in 40 minutes. *phew*

A birthday gift from Hardik and Rahul to “The Wall”

Rahul Dravid turned 50 yesterday and the Indian head coach received a delayed gift from Hardik Pandya (36 in 53 balls) and Rahul (64 in103 balls). The duo put on a gritty show against the Lankan bowlers, who were extracting great bounce and spin off the track. They laboured through the difficult phase, worked hard for every single run and got India close to the target (strategy pulled out right from the Dravid manual of cricket).

They put on 75 runs for the fifth wicket.

Rahul finishes off in style!

After Pandya’s dismissal, Axar Patel lit the stage with a short-little cameo, which included one big six over mid-wicket. India were still 35 runs short, but Rahul held his nerve and helped the side complete the run chase.

India won the contest by four wickets and this was Sri Lanka’s 95th defeat in ODIs against us, equalling the record for most defeats vs an opponent in this format (We’ll take that).

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka 215 all out in 39.4 overs (Nuwanindu Fernando 50, Mohammed Siraj 3/30) lost to India 219/6 in 43.2 overs (KL Rahul 64*, Hardik Pandya 36)