Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Virat Kohli on 88 in what was the 32nd over of the first innings.
Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Virat Kohli on 88 in what was the 32nd over of the first innings. The wicket came just an over after Shubman Gill succumbed to the same bowler on 92. Sri Lanka got timely wickets and restricted two dangerous batters from completing their milestone.
After winning the toss, Sri Lanka elected to bowl first and dismissed the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma on the second ball of the game. However, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli steadied the ship and took the attack back on the Sri Lankan bowlers. They made full use of the loose bowling by the opponent bowlers, and their fielding helped the two batters as well.
The track in Wankhede has always suited the batters. Gill and Kohli looked in pristine touch as they took on every Lankan bowler. Virat looked in more aggressive mode and played at a rapid pace throughout the innings.
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Kohli hit 11 fours and ran quick singles and doubles throughout this knock to take India to a comfortable position despite an early blow. He got the perfect support from Gill, who also played eye-catching shots during his stay on the crease. Their partnership was filled with confidence and panache.
Dilshan Madushanka has been Sri Lanka’s best bowler in the ongoing edition of the World Cup. He has scalped wickets consistently throughout the tournament and broken numerous stands. Even against India, Madushanka is the only Sri Lankan bowler looking penetrative.
He was brought back when the partnership between Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli became threatening. And Madushanka didn’t disappoint. He dismissed Gill and Kohli in back-to-back overs to put some pressure on the Men in Blue.
Madushanka bowled a slower delivery to Virat Kohli, and it stopped a bit after landing. The ball also bounced a bit more, and the batter couldn’t hit from the middle of the bat. Kohli hit it straight towards cover, where Pathum Nissanka took a simple catch.
Virat Kohli looked set to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries. But he will have to wait more now. Dilshan Madushanka showed his class again by providing timely breakthroughs to his team.
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