Sri Lanka keep Champions Trophy hopes alive with record run chase win over India

London: An all-round performance from their batters guided Sri Lanka to a record successful run chase against India, as Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, and Angelo Mathews spurred them to a seven wicket victory at The Oval, in London, on Thursday.

Earlier, India had put up a massive total of 321 from their quota of 50 overs, with openers Shikhar Dhawan (125 from 128 balls) and Rohit Sharma (78 from 79 balls) firing on all cylinders; The duo put up a 138 run partnership for the first wicket, to give India a brilliant start.

However, the cheap wickets of skipper Virat Kohli (0 from 5 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (7 from 18 balls) slowed the Indians down in the middle overs, before wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni (63 from 52 balls) picked up the pace in the death overs, to guide the defending champions to the mammoth score.

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the early wicket of Sri Lanka opener Niroshan Dickwella (7 from 18 balls), Gunathilaka and Mendis regrouped wonderfully, to put the Lankans in a commanding position. The duo put up a 159-run stand.

India did manage to get the crucial breakthrough of the two batters (via run outs), but Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews (52 not out from 45 balls) steadied the ship with the help of Kusal Perera 47 retired hurt from 44 balls) and Asela Gunaratne (34 from 21 balls). In the end, Sri Lanka got to their target with eight balls remaining.

This win goes down as the joint highest successful run chase for Sri Lanka in ODI cricket; the other occasion when they chased down a target of 322 was against England.

This result puts an interesting spin to Group B, where all the teams have played two, and won just one. This means that the last matches of Group B – India vs South Africa (Sunday), and Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (Monday) will become virtual quarter finals, as the winners get to progress to the semi finals.

However, rain wash-outs may complicate the equations, in which case, India, who have a superior net run rate, may hold the advantage.

Scorecard:

India: 321-6 from 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan: 125, Rohit Sharma: 78; Lasith Malinga: 2-70)

Sri Lanka: 322-3 from 48.4 overs (Kusal Mendis: 89, Danushka Gunathilaka: 76; Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 1-54)

Sri Lanka defeat India by 7 wickets.

SL: 322-3 from 48.4 overs

And the skipper steers it away on the leg side to win the match for his country. This makes Group B a rather interesting proposition. Essentially, the remaining two matches from the group will be quarterfinals. The winners of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka game, and the India vs South Africa game will progress to the semi finals. Lets hope rain does not play spoilsport in these matches.

Mathews dances down the tract to smash a boundary that brings up his 50, the 50-run partnership with Gunaratne, and take his side's score to level with India.

SL: 290-3 from 45 overs

Perera’s retirement may have taken a set batsman away from the crease, for Sri Lanka, but more importantly, the Lankans now have two players who can run the quick singles and put the Indian players under pressure. SL will now turn to Angelo Mathews to get them over the finish line now. However, Gunaratne has eased the pressure on Sri Lanka a lot, with two cracking boundaries off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The required rate is almost at a run-a-ball.

Kusal Perera, who was struggling with a hamstring issue, has retired hurt, as Asela Gunaratne comes out to bat.

SL: 265-3 from 42 overs

Kusal Perera seems to be struggling with a foot injury. this could be bad news for Sri Lanka. However, Perera is staying on at the crease, as SL skipper flicks Umesh towards the fine-leg boundary for a four.

SL: 247-3 from 40 overs

The match is going down to a very tight finish. India may have been able to get the two important wickets, but it is still very much within Sri Lanka's grasp, as long as they do not lose wickets, with the required run rate hovering a little higher than the 7.5 runs per over mark. What the two wickets have done however, is that they have slowed down Sri Lanka's scoring rate. The asking rate is slowly climbing up, but that may not matter as much, with just 10 overs to go.

SL: 206-3 from 35 overs

India are right back in it now. They have got the important wickets of Mendis and Gunathilaka. Now they can attack the two new batsmen at the crease, although SL skipper Angelo Mathews could be crucial to the Lankans' cause at the moment.

SL: 196-3 from 32.4 overs

Wicket! Kusal Perera tries to steal a run, but Bhuvi gets to the ball and hurls it straight into the wicketkeeper's end stumps. Mendis was yards off from his mark.

Kohli takes Jadhav off the attack. Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes in to bowl.

SL: 184-2 from 30 overs

That was a huge wicket for India. They badly needed that wicket, as SL were seemingly running away with the match. However, the India skipper has stuck with Jadhav, instead of bringing on one of his main bowlers to capitalise on the fact that a new batsman has come out to bat.

SL: 170-2 from 27.5 overs

WICKET! And this has done the trick! Kohli may not have done with the bat, but he has (indirectly) affected a wicket here. Gunathilaka steers the ball on the off side to steal a couple of runs. However, Umesh sends in a strong and accurate throw from the deep, as Dhoni whips off the bails...as always. replays suggested that Gunathilaka was way off his crease. In fact he had plonked his bat, despite diving in towards the end of that run.

Kohli seems really desperate to get a wicket now. The skipper himself comes in to bowl.

Are India missing a second quality spinner in their bowling lineup? The presence of Ravichandran Ashwin could have given the Indians another option.

Kohli seems desperate to get a wicket now. He brings Kedar Jadhav in to turn his arms over.

SL: 158-1 from 26 overs

Dropped! Gunathilaka slogs Pandya over the top, and his shot is hit straight towards Rohit Sharma at long-on. Rohit, who came running in, seemed to have taken the catch on the dive, but the ball rolled out from under him a second later. Gunathilaka then edged one behind the keeper for another four. That was an expensive over. 15 from it. Sri Lanka are getting the rub of the green today.

SL: 143-1 from 25 overs

Sri Lanka are well poised at the half-way mark of their innings, with Gunathilaka and Mendis playing a good innings, on their way to their massive target. The required run rate is still at 7.16, but the Lankans have wickets in hand.

SL: 141-1 from 24 overs

Kusal Mendis dances down the track, and smacks Jadeja over the mid-wicket boundary for a six. Brings up his 10th half-century of his career with that.

SL: 120-1 from 22 overs

Both Gunathilaka and Mendis have persevered well to bring up their 100-run partnership. They have not taken many risks as such, but have managed to keep the scoreboard ticking at regular intervals.

SL: 108-1 from 20 overs

Jadeja wraps Mendis on the pads and goes into a vicious appeal, but that one wasclearly going down the leg side. Also, height was an issue. However, Perera comes back very well in the next delivery, to pull Jadeja for a four.

SL: 98-1 from 19 overs

Hardik Pandya into the attack, and SL opener Gunathilaka simply smacks the paceman for a six over the mid-wicket boundary, to bring up his half century.

Kohli brings Ravindra Jadeja into the attack. Can Jaddu break this Sri Lankan partnership now?

SL: 70-1 from 15 overs

Both Mendis and Gunathilaka have played cautious cricket, anchoring the Sri Lanka innings, as Hardik Pandya starts off with a maiden over. The asking rate has gone up to 7.2 runs per over now.

Jasprit Bumrah into the attack, and Kusal Mendis welcomes him with a cracking cut, as the ball races away to the square boundary.

SL: 44-1 from 10 overs

Gunathilaka is taking the attack to the Indian bowlers after Dickwella's wicket. Plays a cracking straight drive off Umesh Yadav's delivery for a boundary. He nearly took out his partner Kusal Mendis with that shot.

SL: 11-1 from 4.4 overs

WICKET! Just as it was looking like Sri Lanka were about to use their solid start to launch into the attack mode, Dickwella plays a wayward shot off Bhuvneshwar's delivery, which he edges to Ravindra Jadeja at point.

Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka have come out to bat, and its Bhuvneshwar Kumar to get the proceedings underway.

India: 321-6 from 50 overs

Some fine hitting by Kedar Jadhav in the end. Smashes Thisara for a six and two boundaries off the last four balls, to take India to a massive score. The Indians have scored a massive 103 runs off the last 10 overs, to post this total. The Sri Lanka batters need to bring their A-game to win this from here.

India: 307-6 from 49.2 overs

WICKET! Dhoni goes for the big helicopter shot down the ground, but he mis-timed it off Rhisara Perera's deliver, sending it straight down the throat of Chandimal at long-off.

India: 297-5 from 48 overs

Yet another stellar knock by MS Dhoni. He simply stroked the ball down the ground, to calmly bring up his 10th ODI 50. This was also his 17th ODI 50 against Sri Lanka.

India: 278-5 from 45.4 overs

WICKET! SIX and OUT! Pandya negotiated a low fulltoss brilliantly to smack it over the leg side boundary for a six. However, he ends up giving an easy catch to Kusal Perera, trying to do the same thing the very next ball.

India: 261-4 from 44.1 overs

WICKET! A fine innings by Shikhar Dhawan comes to an end. He tried to slog Malinga over long-on, but only managed to find Kusal Mendis in the deep. Mendis took an easy catch to bring Dhawan's innings to an end.

Lakmal has got his line and length right here. He is bowling to his captain's field here. There's enough protection against Dhoni on the off side, and against Dhawan on the leg side, to protect the shots that are hit with the wind. However, the odd wide and a cover-punch (we do not know what else to call it) by Dhoni eases the pressure on the Indians.

India: 218-3 from 40 overs

Brilliant innings by Shikhar Dhawan. He skilfully guides away a short-ish Pradeep delivery to bring up the 10th ODI century of his career, as we go into the last 10 overs. Now its time for the southpaw to launch into the overdrive mode.

Dhoni brings up the 200-run mark for India, as he steers the ball to the off side for a single.

India: 188-3 from 35 overs

Sri Lanka have dome well to rein India back in the middle overs. The wickets of Kohli and Yuvraj means that India would have to throw caution to the winds. However, the Indians have one of their coolest batsmen, MS Dhoni, out on the pitch now. Both him and Dhawan have the capability to shift gears whenever they want. This is turning out to be an interesting contest.

India: 179-3 from 33.3 overs

WICKET! Brilliant change of pace from Gunaratne. Sends in a slow yorker, which Yuvi seemingly negotiated with the bat. However, the ball bounced off the ground and clipped one of the bails off.

Some good bit of bowling by Gunathilaka. Yuvraj has not been able to pick the turn on his deliveries. First, he decieved the southpaw with a rising delivery that sneaked in between Yuvi's bat and pads. Then, Yuvi tried to dance down the track and drive him down the ground, but only managed to mis-time it and lobbed it towards the Lankan spinner, who did not have enough tome to latch on to that ball.

India: 169-2 from 30 overs

Shikhar Dhawan has taken charge after those two quick wickets now. Smashes two cracking boundaries off Nuwan Pradeep's over, to ease the pressure on India.

India: 139-2 from 25.5 overs

WICKET! And Sri Lanka are right back in the game. Pradeep bowls a perfect good-length delivery outside the off stump, as Kohli prods it to keeper Dickwella.

India: 138-1 from 24.5 overs

WICKET! He might have been smacked for a few, but Angelo Mathews' plan of bringing Malinga back into the attack. Rohit tries to hook another rising delivery, but only managed to top-edge it to Thisara Perera at fine-leg.

Malinga back into the attack, and Dhawan dispatches his delivery with contempt, through the covers. The southpaw brings up his steady 50 with that shot. Rohit also gets in on the act. Plays a cracking hook over the top of the keeper for a six.

We can see a few umbrellas out in the stands. Are the rains coming? Let's hope not.

And Rohit brings up his FIFTY and India's 100-run mark with a six on the leg side. It looked for a while, that a fielder would be able to get under it, but the Mumbai lad just managed to get it away. Thisara Perera comes back with a steep bouncer, but Rohit instinctively hooks him away for yet another six.

Dhawan, who goes for a sweep, failed to read the turn on Gunathilaka's ball, as it wrapped him low on the pads. The Sri Lankan players immediately went up in appeal, but to no avail. Hawkeye suggests that the ball would have gone down the leg side.

India: 74-0 from 15 overs

the pressure has eased-up on the Indian batsmen. They are now freely rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. Also, freebies from the Sri Lanka bowlers are helping their cause quite a bit.

India: 48-0 from 10 overs

India have maintained a steady start to their innings. While Dhawan has been the aggressor-in-chief, Rohit has played the sheet anchor role. except for the one delivery in the second over by Lakmal to Dhawan, the Sri Lankans have largely not been able to trouble the Indian openers.

Dhawan is dealing in boundaries here. dances down the track, and punches it through the covers, for his 3rd boundary. Seeing Dhawan use his feet, Lakmal comes back with a short delivery, but the southpaw hooks it behind the keeper for yet another 4. This shot was not as convincing, but it got the job done.

India: 17-0 from 5 overs

The Sri Lanka bowlers have kept it tight after the first couple of overs. They have pitched the ball up, making it difficult for the Indian batsmen in these overcast conditions. However, Dhawan managed to get a boundary through with a cover drive, piercing four fielders inside the ring.

Lakmal is maintaining good line and length so far. He barely gave Dhawan any room outside the off stump, and kept it close to the corridor of uncertainty. Maiden over.

Dhawan also gets off the mark with a cracking cut off Suranga Lakmal. However, the Lankan bowler came back with a vicious in-swinger, that whizzed inches above the bails.

India: 4-0 from 1 over

And Rohit gets India off the mark with a delicious back foot drive. His timing was as sweet as a rasgullah. Malinga comes back however, with some tight deliveries. A decent start for India.

Lasith Malinga to get the proceedings underway, while Rohit Sharma takes guard.

The national anthems are over, as Sri Lanka go into a huddle before Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan come out to bat.

And the teams are out for the national anthem.

Preview: Angelo Mathews has won the toss and elected to bowl as Sri Lanka take on India in the Group B encounter at the Kennington Oval here on Thursday.

While the Lankan side fight for survival, India eye a berth in the semifinals as the teams square off.

Sri Lanka have made three changes to the team which played against South Africa as Angelo Mathews, Danushka Gunathilaka and Thisara Perera replace Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara and Sekkuge Prasanna in the playing XI while India retain the winning combination, meaning R Ashwin missing out from action yet again.

"When I put my hand on it, I can feel the moisture. I don't see any assistance for the spinners. One would be tempted to bowl first here," says Saba Karim during his pitch report.

"This is a fresh wicket. This is the first time this pitch is being used in the Champions Trophy. There is fresh grass, which means the pace bowlers with get some lateral movement," added the former Indian wicketkeeper.

The Virat Kohli-led unit, which won their opening game against arch-rivals Pakistan, are favourites to down their Asian neighbours and become second team after England to make it to the final four.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will need nothing but a win to stay in hunt for the place in final four.

Indian bowling attack did their job to perfection and the performance of the Indian batsmen – Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh and a cameo Hardik Pandya alongside Kohli’s unbeaten fifty-plus score were the highlights of India’s dominating win against Sarfraz Ahmed-led side. As India take on Angelo Mathews and Co today, captain Kohli will not mind an encore.

While India’s batting and bowling came good, their fielding was a letdown of sorts as the catches were dropped and misfields happened on multiple occasions. India will be keen to plug that hole before they move into the knockout stage of the tournament.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will have their task cut out. The Islanders lost their opening game against South Africa and with Upul Tharanga and Chamara Kapugedera out with suspension and injury, the Sri Lankan batting line-up will be under the pump to deliver in a big game against India. If Sri Lanka harbour hopes of an upset, all the three departments – batting, bowling and fielding – will need to come good.

The match, though, is under the threat as the rain is likely to play spoilsport.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickewalla (wicketkeeper), Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Sekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga, Asela Gunaratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara.