In yet another display of sheer dominance, India showcased their cricketing prowess by trouncing Sri Lanka at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match, which unfolded on Thursday, saw India clinch a resounding victory, triumphing by a staggering 302 runs. With this stellar performance, India scripted history, becoming the first team to secure a spot in the semifinals of the tournament.
India’s batting juggernaut kicked off with a commanding start, as half-centuries from Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer propelled the team to a formidable total of 357/8. After an early setback with Rohit Sharma’s dismissal in the opening over by Dilshan Madushanka, Kohli and Gill took charge, stitching together an impressive partnership of 189 runs. Despite Madushanka’s valiant effort, breaking the partnership and denying both batsmen their centuries, Sri Lanka managed to regain some ground by dismissing KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav. However, Iyer’s blazing form shone through as he hammered a scintillating 82 off 56 balls, ensuring India’s total surpassed the 300-run mark. Ravindra Jadeja’s explosive hits in the final overs further bolstered India’s score, pushing it beyond the 350-run milestone.
India’s bowling attack was equally relentless. Jasprit Bumrah struck with precision in the very first ball of the innings, setting the tone for Sri Lanka’s collapse. Mohammed Siraj, riding high on his remarkable performance in the Asia Cup 2023 finals, wreaked havoc by grabbing two crucial wickets in quick succession, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 3-4. Mohammed Shami, in exceptional form, completed a five-wicket haul, dismantling the Lankan batting lineup. In a swift and clinical fashion, Sri Lanka’s innings folded in just 19.4 overs, emphasizing India’s unparalleled supremacy on the field.
Cricket Stats
In the realm of cricketing statistics, the clash between India and Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium etched its name in the annals of the sport’s history (Courtsey: Cricbuzz Data)
Among the intriguing statistics, the most striking was the eighth instance of five ducks in a World Cup innings, a dubious record held jointly by Sri Lanka and Scotland. Sri Lanka, in particular, found themselves on the wrong side of history twice, the latest being at the hands of the relentless Indian bowling attack at Wankhede. The lowest ODI totals for Sri Lanka, ranging from 43 to 73, highlighted the challenges they faced against various opponents, underscoring the team’s resilience amid adversities.
The record books also featured notable feats by individual players. Mohammed Shami, with his exceptional bowling skills, emerged as a star, becoming the second bowler in ODI history to secure three consecutive 4-plus wicket hauls on multiple occasions. His consistency mirrored that of legendary bowler Waqar Younis, marking Shami’s name in the annals of cricketing excellence.
Additionally, India’s dominance was palpable in the statistics, with Mohammed Shami leading the charge in World Cup wickets, closely followed by the likes of Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath. The biggest wins in ODIs, notably India’s colossal 317-run triumph over Sri Lanka in Trivandrum, showcased the team’s formidable prowess, while the lowest ODI totals against India, ranging from 50 to 73, reflected the challenges faced by opposing teams against the Indian bowling attack.
What did the captains say?
Rohit Sharma | Indian skipper
Very happy knowing that we have officially qualified now. Been a good effort from the squad, when we started off in Chennai. This was our goal, to qualify first and then obviously to be in the semis and the finals. The way we approached these 7 games, it was quite clinical. Everyone put in the effort and a lot of individuals have put their hand up.
Was a good challenge to put runs on the board, and that’s the kind of template you gotta have when you want to score that many runs. 350 on any pitch is a very good score and a lot of credit to the batting unit for taking us to that score and the bowlers did the job obviously. Shreyas is a very strong (in his mind) lad and today, as you saw, he went there and did what he is exactly known for and that is what we expect from him.
Showed that he is ready to take the challenge that is in front of him and Siraj is another quality bowler for us and if he does that (making the new ball talk) things look different for us. He (Siraj) has got a lot of skills when he is operating with the new ball. Even Surya, for that matter, got us some crucial runs in the back end of the last game. To put in a performance back-to-back against England and now today, shows the quality of the seamers and if there is something in the conditions, they are quite lethal.
All in all, it was pleasing to watch (bowlers dominating proceedings) and I hope they continue to do it that way. I have left it to the bowler and the keeper (whether or not to take a review) to make that decision for me, and I gotta find the individuals I can trust and I know it can go the other way as well. We got one right and one wrong today. They (South Africa) are playing some good cricket, and so are we. It’s gonna be a great spectacle for the people out there and people of Kolkata are gonna enjoy that game.
Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka skipper
I am very disappointed with the team’s performance, with myself also. They bowled really well, little bit of seam movement under lights as well. Unfortunately, we lost the match. I wanted to bowl first because I felt the wicket would be slow in the first half. Madushanka bowled really well and we missed taking chances from Virat and Gill and sometimes those moments could change the game. Our bowlers did well in the middle overs. They bowled really well in the first 6 overs, and I think they deserve all the credit tonight. We have another 2 games and I hope we come back strong in the next game.