Kolkata:Aiming to win the series at iconic Eden Gardens, India restricted Sri Lanka at 215 all out in 39.4 overs, thanks to brilliant bowling from nippy spinner Kuldeep Yadav and young pacer Mohhmmad Siraj, who shared six wickets between them, at the second ODI here on Thursday
While 28-year-old medium pacer Siraj finished 3/30 ( 5.4 overs), left arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav also took three wickets conceding 51 runs in ten overs, that restricted the visiting side to a paltry 215 all out.
Twenty-eight year-old left arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who came in place of injured Yazuvendra Chahal, infact spun the batting of Sri Lanka from his first over of the day. And then Siraj did his best taking the first and last wicket of Sri Lanka among three three scalps.
On the other hand Yadav’s victims were wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis (LWB-34), Chatish Asalanka -caught and bolwed at 15 and disrupted stumps of Lanka skipeer Dasun Shanaka (2),who made an unbeaten century in the first ODI in Guwahati.
India took 15 overs to introduce spinning duo Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, the latter also disrupted stumps of Dhananjaya D Silva on his first delivery of the day. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya were out in a space of one run at 102 and 103 that shook the batting foundation of the visiting side.
Batting first after winning the toss Sri Lanka, in an effort to level the series ( 0-1) following loss in their first ODI in Guwahati, began shakily and never got the rhythm except of a half-a century fromdebutant Nuwanidu Fernando.
Their opener Avishka Fernando was out on 20 when his inside edge from India pacer Md Siraj hit the stumps at the team’s total 29/1 in just six overs.
Coming of wicketkeeper-batter Kusan Mendis partnering with the debutant, however, only delayed the slide as the duo together stitched a 71-run partnership in the second wicket before the senior (Mendis) was held LBW from Kuldeep Yadav.
Spinner Yadav, playing in place of injured Yuzvendra Chahal, held Mendis (34) on his fifth ball of his first over and in the next over Axar Patel bowled Dhananjaya D Silva (0) of his first delivery.
On other side of the stump playing his first international game 23-year-old Nuwanidu Fernando, who made 50 in 62 deliveries was unlucky to be run out by Shubman Gill and that hastened the slide for Sri Lanka further.
Skipper Danus Shanaka, who hit an unbeaten ton in Guwahati was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav on 2 at the time of Sri Lanka were five down for 125 runs in 22.5 overs.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who tried to bring some pace in Sri Lanka’s score, hit quick 21 from 17-ball before being held by Axar Patel off Umran Malik. Another pacer Umran Malik took 2/48 and Axar Patel 1/16.
At the end Dunith Wellalage made some quick runs 32 from 34 balls before being caught by Axar Patel off Md Siraj.
India now need 216 runs to seal the series after their first ODI win by 66 runs in Guwahati.
