IND vs SL 2021: Sri Lanka playing XI's report card for the 2nd ODI
For most of India's innings in the second ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka appeared to be in control. However, the hosts squandered the advantage in the final stages of the match to lose by seven wickets and concede an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Deepak Chahar and Suryakumar Yadav were the architects of India's win after Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up three wickets apiece to restrict Sri Lanka to 275. In the second innings, Sri Lanka bowled well and regularly made inroads, but eventually lost in the final over.
Here is the Sri Lanka playing XI's report card for the second ODI against India.
IND vs SL 2021, 2nd ODI: Sri Lanka Player Ratings
Avishka Fernando: 7.5/10
Fernando followed up his promising innings in the series opener with an impressive fifty. He showed class and poise at the crease, before unfortunately throwing his wicket away shortly after reaching the milestone. Sri Lanka would've wanted him to bat through the innings and get a big score.
Minod Bhanuka: 6.5/10
Bhanuka too looked composed in the middle, surviving an early dropped catch to notch up 32. However, he carelessly guided a low full-toss from Yuzvendra Chahal straight to Manish Pandey at short mid-wicket. The wicket-keeper had an average day behind the stumps as well.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa: 1/10
Rajapaksa lasted only one ball in his second ODI for Sri Lanka as a wonderfully disguised variation from Chahal found the edge of his bat. He will want to forget this outing in a hurry.
Dhananjaya de Silva: 6.5/10
Sri Lanka's vice-captain made a composed 32 but lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar while trying to up the scoring rate. De Silva really needs to ensure that he takes more responsibility and anchors the innings. He plucked one catch and bowled three overs for 10 runs.
Charith Asalanka: 8/10
Asalanka played superbly in the second ODI, scoring 65 (his maiden fifty in the format) and helping Sri Lanka reach a fighting total. The left-hander can seal a spot in the side if he puts up a few more similar performances.
Dasun Shanaka: 6.5/10
Shanaka couldn't kick on after getting a start as he became Chahal's third victim, but he made astute bowling changes in the second innings. The Sri Lankan captain brought himself onto bowl and sent Hardik Pandya back to the dugout for a duck. He will be gutted to not record his maiden win as ODI skipper after the excellent position his team was in.
Wanindu Hasaranga: 9/10
Hasaranga was bamboozled by a clever knuckle-ball from Deepak Chahar, but he more than made up for his batting failure with an inspired display of leg-spin bowling. He picked up three important wickets and had the ball on a string throughout his spell.
Chamika Karunaratne: 8/10
Karunaratne orchestrated another death-overs heist for Sri Lanka, scoring an unbeaten 44 and capitalizing on any loose balls on offer. He bowled six overs, over the course of which he conceded 26 runs.
Kasun Rajitha: 6/10
Returning to the Sri Lankan ODI side after two years, Rajitha had a strange outing against India. He picked up the important scalp of Kishan, but was rather wayward otherwise. The pacer allowed two boundaries while fielding at third-man - two boundaries that could've made the difference between a win and a loss.
Dushmantha Chameera: 4/10
Chameera turned in another fiery display of fast bowling, but the Indian batsmen used his extra pace well to take him for 10 boundaries. He ended up conceding 65 runs in 10 wicketless overs, with several edges finding their way to the rope in the final periods of the Indian innings.
Lakshan Sandakan: 5/10
Sandakan had a disappointing outing in the second ODI as he struggled with accuracy and pace variations. He sent Suryakumar Yadav back to the pavilion to put Sri Lanka firmly in the ascendancy, but leaked 71 runs in his 10 overs.