‘Sri Lanka pulverise India’- Twitter disheartened as India go down to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka got off to a great start with Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nisanka getting half-centuries. There was a ray of hope for India with Chahal picking up 3 wickets but Bhanuka Rajapaksa took on the spinners and put pressure on India. Shanaka was in his element as he found the boundary at the right time and ensured that Sri Lanka were never out of the chase, and they got to 171 in the end.

The 3rd match of the Super Fours kicked in with India squaring off against Sri Lanka. The coin fell in Sri Lanka’s favour and they opted to bowl first. India got off to the worst possible start with Kl Rahul getting out lbw to Theekshana and Kohli getting out to Dilahan Madhushanka, who sent his stumps cartwheeling. India were jolted and needed some rear-guard action which was provided by Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav who took the score to 110 runs.

It was a rather uncharacteristic innings from Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 34 from 29 balls and hit a boundary and a six. Rohit Sharma was in sublime form en-route to his score of 72 in just 41 deliveries which contained 5 boundaries and 4 sixes.

His innings put the pressure back on Sri Lanka but just when India were about to press the accelerator, Rohit fell trying to up the ante to Chamika Karunaratne by a well-directed short ball. Hardik Pandya came in after Surykumar fell and he too perished via a slower ball from Dasun Shanaka when he was trying to hit him over the longer boundary. P

Pant was out as well shortly after trying to do the same off Madhushanka. Madhushanka then accounted for Hooda’s dismissal with a razor-sharp delivery aimed at the stumps that had him bowled. India looked in disarray at the end as well but a quick cameo of 15 runs from 7 balls from Ashwin helped India get to 173-8 in their 20 overs.

Twitter was abuzz, let us take a look at the reactions here-