India enjoyed a dream start to the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka, with Mohammed Siraj dismissing the in-form Pathum Nissanka first ball of the match. However, there was no such excitement on Wednesday in the series decider as the India quick came in for some real pounding. Siraj leaked boundaries and with Nissanka taking him to the cleaners, the India pacer's figures read 0/22 after the first three overs. Siraj's second spell was equally woeful as he conceded two sixes and a boundary to Avishka Fernando with India running out of options. Siraj was clearly having an off day – and the fact that it was against a team he loves bowling against – made matters even more frustrating for India's only frontline pacer in the match.
And perhaps it was this very frustration that landed him in a situation with Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka. In the 39th over, Siraj mouthed a few words to Kusal Mendis, which were not taken pleasantly by the Sri Lanka batter. The two kept having a go at each other, with Siraj looking at Mendis and gesturing something towards the dressing room. Mendis, however, who was unbeaten on 30 and with Sri Lanka's score on 183/3, was having none of it and charged towards the India pacer. Siraj tried to get under Mendis' skin by dishing out the chirping hand signal before turning back to walk towards his run-up. Tempers clearly flared.
Watching his teammate getting involved in verbal volleys, the original master of it, Virat Kohli decided to have a go himself. Unlike Siraj, Kohli's target was not Mendis, but the Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka who came to bat after the fall of opener Fernando's wicket. India, in dire need of a wicket, were given a breakthrough by none other than debutant Riyan Parag. His leg-break first claimed the wicket of Fernando four short of a century, before trapping Asalanka for a 10. The moment the umpire's finger went up, Kohli pulled off a sendoff reminiscent of his younger days. Kohli, brimming with excitement, dished out his trademark roar, a mention of 'Ben Stokes' and then hurled a mouthful to the Sri Lankan captain as he made his long walk back.
{{/usCountry}}Watching his teammate getting involved in verbal volleys, the original master of it, Virat Kohli decided to have a go himself. Unlike Siraj, Kohli's target was not Mendis, but the Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka who came to bat after the fall of opener Fernando's wicket. India, in dire need of a wicket, were given a breakthrough by none other than debutant Riyan Parag. His leg-break first claimed the wicket of Fernando four short of a century, before trapping Asalanka for a 10. The moment the umpire's finger went up, Kohli pulled off a sendoff reminiscent of his younger days. Kohli, brimming with excitement, dished out his trademark roar, a mention of 'Ben Stokes' and then hurled a mouthful to the Sri Lankan captain as he made his long walk back.
{{/usCountry}}From 173/1, Sri Lanka were eventually restricted to 248/7, setting India their biggest target of the series. Barring the top three, none of the Sri Lankan batters could contribute as India roared back in the last 12 overs to keep them under 250.
Sri Lanka win
India's joy was short-lived as a similar pattern unfolded with their batting. For the third time in three matches, India's batting capitulated – this one being the worst of the lot – as the reigning T20 world champions were bowled out for just 138, giving Sri Lanka a handsome 110-run win and their first bilateral ODI series against the Men in Blue since 1997 – 27 years ago.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 37 runs for the opening wicket, which shockingly was the highest of the innings. Once Gill played an awful shot and Rohit perished out caught behind, it was shambolic as usual. Kohli looked in good nick, creaming four boundaries en route to 20 before getting out LBW for the third time this series. For Sri Lanka, it was that man once again, Dunith Wellalage, who picked the bones, finishing with 5/27 – his second five-for against India in five ODIs.