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'India ne bas pace bowling ki practice kiya' - Fans react as Dunith Wellalage-led Sri Lanka spin attack bundle out India for 213 in Super Fours clash

Sri Lanka spinners bowled out India for 213 in 49.1 overs in the Super Fours clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday.

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Daniel S
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IND vs SL Asia Cup 2023

IND vs SL Asia Cup 2023 (Source: Twitter)

Team India entered their second Super Fours match of the 2023 Asia Cup on the back of a comprehensive 228-run win over Pakistan. Having won the toss and elected to bat first, fans expected a similarly dominant batting performance from the Men in Blue, but it was the two Sri Lankan spinners - Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka - who grabbed the spotlight in the first innings at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The Indian openers got off to a cracking start just like their previous match with the skipper playing aggressive cricket. Gill played cautiously but was complemented by Rohit's attacking play as the duo put up another half-century partnership in the tournament. On his way to register his third back-to-back fifty, the veteran batter also completed a major milestone of 10,000 ODI runs.

Things went smoothly for India till the first wicket stand of 80 runs. Then came Sri Lanka's spin wizard Wellalage, who destroyed the opposition's top order in quick succession. The 20-year-old drew first blood on his very first delivery, dismissing Gill for 19 off 25 balls. The youngster didn't give India much relief as he dismissed last-match centurion Virat Kohli in his next over.

Wellalage, Asalanka stun India with spin magic 

The left-arm spinner reduced India from 80/0 to 91/3 by picking up another wicket in his very next over, this time a big one of a well-set Rohit. The right-hander (53 off 48 balls) was looking solid until an arm ball from Wellalage knocked over his leg stump. Just when India began to build some hope with the partnership of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, the spin wizard claimed his fourth wicket, removing the former.

The Men in Blue were in deep trouble, but another member from Sri Lanka also joined the party - Asalanka, who took his first wicket of the night by dismissing Ishan Kishan. In the very next over, Wellalage registered his maiden fifer with the wicket of India vice-captain Hardik Pandya. From there on, it was Asalanka's show, as the 26-year-old went on to pick up the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav before the rain interrupted the game after the 47th over.

The match resumed after a brief break, but Maheesh Theekshana did not allow India to complete 50 overs as he dismissed Axar Patel on the first ball of the last over. This is the first time that India have lost all 10 wickets to spinners.

Here's how fans reacted: 

 

 

India Sri lanka Asia Cup 2023