In two consecutive matches, India failed to defend decent totals at the Asian Cup and are on the cusp of exiting the Super 4 Stage of the continental event. After failing to defend 181/7 against Pakistan on Sunday, they faltered again as they defended 173/8 against Sri Lanka on Tuesday night. In the game against Pakistan, Indian Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave up 19 runs in the 19th over. In the game against Sri Lanka, he gave up 14 runs in the 19th left. Both appearances were a big blow to India’s chances in the respective matches.
Ravi Shastri, former coach of the Indian cricket team, analyzed the loss to Sri Lanka and said the Indian squad was lacking at least one quality spacer. Although Jasprit Bumrah did not play in the Asian Cup due to an injury, Mohammed Shami was not chosen.
“If you have to win, you have to prepare better. I think the selection could have been better, especially for the fast bowlers, you know the conditions here. There wasn’t much for the spinner. I was quite surprised that you came.” here with only 4 fast bowlers. You needed that extra. Someone like Mohammed Shami sitting at home cooling his heels baffles me. After the IPL he had, for him not to be able to make the cut, I’m obviously seeing something else,” Ravi Shastri told Star Sports.
When Shastri gave his view, former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram said: “Does the coach have any input in selecting the team?” To this, the former Team India head coach replied: “He does, but he is not part of the roster. He can only contribute by saying ‘this is the combination we want’, then it is up to the captain in the squad. meeting to take that with you.”
“There should have been one extra fast bowler. One less spinner in the 15-16. You don’t want to get caught in a situation where one man has a fever and then you have no one else to play with. You have to play another spinner, which can be embarrassing in the end,” he continued.
In the game, chasing what appeared to be a par score at the break of the innings, the Sri Lankans got off to a flying start with openers Kusal Mendis (57 off 37 balls) and Pathum Nissanka (52 off 37 balls) scoring 91 runs against a solid course.
The fifty were leading in the sixth over and both batters regularly found the holes and boundaries with great ease, putting enormous pressure on the Indian bowling attack who had no idea against the positive approach of the two Lankan batters.
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, however, had other ideas when he struck twice in the 12th left to brake Sri Lanka’s march.
Ravichandran Ashwin sent Danushka Gunathilaka (1) back to leave Sri Lanka with a problem of 110 for three in the 14th left.
In the first ball of the next over, Sri Lanka got a body blow when Chahal got the big wicket from Mendis, who was pinned lbw for the wicket.
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But Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka and (33 out) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (25 out) stayed until the end to complete the task for their team with a match-winning, fifth-wicket partnership of 64 runs.
With PTI inputs
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