SL vs IND 3rd ODI Commentary - Colombo (23 July 2021)

Tossed up, around off, Mendis looks to defend, but the ball takes the pad and goes to the first slip, who pouches this. An appeal but the umpire shakes his head. 

On middle, swept hard to fine leg for one. 

The googly around middle, defended out. 

OUT! STUMPED! Sharp work by Samson sees Sri Lanka lose another wicket. Floated, outside off, Chamika Karunaratne looks to defend, but the ball spins away, and evades the outside edge to the keeper, where Samson collects and whips the bails off. Sanju is convinced and the third umpire is called to refer this. Ultra Edge shows no bat. Replays show that the foot was on the line and not behind it, when the bails come off. The third umpire has a couple of looks and decides that this will be out. 7 more needed. 

FOUR! That was surprising. Tossed up delivery on off and every fielder is close to the batsman, Akila Dananjaya makes use of this and crashes his cover drive into the vacant boundary on the off side. This would have take a lot of pressure off the hosts. NO BALL called as there weren't enough fielders in the ring and a Free Hit is coming up.

SCORES LEVEL! Shorter one on middle, Akila Dananjaya swings at it as it's a Free Hit but gets the top edge just over the bowler's head for a single as the ball landed safely.

That's it, Sri Lanka have finally done it! Fuller one on the stumps and Mendis sweeps it fine towards fine leg for the winning run. SRI LANKA WIN BY 3 WICKETS (DLS METHOD)! 

Slower, back of a length delivery around off. Karunaratne gets behind the line of the ball to block this one.

Back of a length on off, angling in, Karunaratne tries to tuck it on the leg side but gets the inside edge onto his pads.

Slow and full this time outside off, driven straight to short cover.

Short ball on middle, pulled away nicely by Karunaratne towards deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Back of a length outside off, Karunaratne covers the line well and defends it nicely.

Around off, pushed to covers. Just 8 more needed now! 

Flighted shorter around off, punched to deep cover for a single by Mendis.

OUT! CAUGHT! Chahar is spinning a web today! Bowls the stock leg-spinner on middle and this one turns sharply, catching the outside edge of Fernando, who was looking to block it. Shaw takes a sharp catch, low down to his right, at first slip. Avishka Fernando is finally out for 76 after a wonderful knock. He might have done enough to see his team through. 

Flighted on off, blocked back by Karunaratne.

Tossed up on off, pushed to deep point for a single.

Tossed up on middle, Mendis brings out the sweep again and gets it down to fine leg for a couple. Just 10 needed now!

Well bowled again! Tossed up around off, but left alone.

Length outside off, guided nicely to third man for a single.

Length ball around off, tapped off the front foot towards cover.

Change of pace, on top of off and Mendis gets behind the ball to block it.

Overpitched outside off, driven through the cover region for a single.

Length around off, angling in, nicely fended off by Fernando.

Back of a length on middle, blocked back by Fernando.

PEACH! That was probably the delivery of the day. Tosses this one up on off, the ball turns sharply and beats the outside edge of Mendis.

Similar deliver but this time turning from middle, Mendis tries to block but gets the outside edge down to third man for a couple.

FOUR! NICELY DONE! Fuller one on middle, Mendis gets down on his knees and sweeps it fine behind square leg and into the boundary.

Tossed up on middle and swept straight to deep mid-wicket for one.

Shorter one around off, punched off the back foot to the point region.

Full toss on off, driven down to long off by Fernando for a single.

Back of a length on middle, dabbed into the ground on the leg side.

Length ball outside off, guided down to third man for a single.

Length ball around off, nudged towards mid-wicket by Mendis for one.

Length ball outside off, Fernando taps this one down to third man for another single.

FOUR LEG BYES! Hardik drifts down leg and pays the price. Mendis looks to flick but the ball goes off the pads and into the boundary.

Back of a length around off, punched off the back foot to deep point for one. Just 24 needed now off 78 balls!

Nicely floated outside off, spins away, Fernando taps it towards point.

BEAUTY! Fuller one, again tossed up outside off, Fernando looks to push at it but gets beaten comprehensively.

Tossed up on off, pushed down to long off for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! The skipper, Dasun Shanaka has been dismissed for a golden duck by Rahul Chahar! Floats this one up nicely around off, turning away and Shanaka pushes at it and gets the leading edge straight to short cover, where Manish Pandey pouches this. Chahar has his maiden ODI wicket! Is there still life left in this match?

EDGED AND DROPPED! Tossed up on off, spinning away again and Mendis gets the outside edge, but Shaw drops a low chance at second slip. If he had taken this, would have been a big moment in this game as the pressure could have pushed India further in the game. 

Tossed up again on off, pushed off the back foot towards covers.

Around off, guided to third man for one. 

FOUR! Pleasing cover drive and Charith Asalanka gets another boundary. On a length, around off, Charith Asalanka opens the face of the bat at the right time and punches this through extra cover. 

On the body, worked to the leg side this time. 

Again, a short ball, on middle, pulled to deep square leg, for one. 

FIVE WIDES. Way too high, for the batter, and also the keeper. On a shortish length, on middle, Avishka Fernando leans back and looks to upper cut. Misses and Sanju Samson misses too. The ball goes to the ropes. 

On a good length, around off, pushed through covers for a single. 

OUT! LBW! Hardik finally gets a wicket and India get their fourth, but it seems like it has come too late. A slower dipping full toss, on middle and leg, Asalanka looks to clip this gently to the leg side, but he misses and gets hit on his boot. An appeal from Hardik, a polite enquiry, actually, and the umpire raises his finger. Charith Asalanka takes the review but it just confirms that the ball would go onto hit the wickets. 33 more needed in 90 balls. 

Tossed up, on middle, Avishka Fernando skips down the track and whips this over the mid-wicket fielder. Manish Pandey hops and takes this, but the ball pops out and lands down. 

Pushed through mid on for a single. 

Fuller, on middle, this is reverse swept through backward square leg for a couple of runs. 

On a shorter length, outside off, Charith Asalanka shuffles and cuts this to the right of the backward point fielder. 

FOUR! Finds the gap this time. A touch flatter again, outside off, Charith Asalanka makes some room and slaps this through the point region for a boundary. 

Around off, pushed to covers. 

WIDE. Down the leg side, on a length, Fernando looks to pull, but misses. Wided. 

A touch shorter, outside off, steered to third man, for one. 

Good length ball, around off, steered past the point fielder, to the left of third man, for a couple of runs. 

On the pads, on a length, Charith misses his tuck and gets hit on the pad. 

Shows the full face of the blade and keeps the ball out. 

Gently pushed to the mid off region. 

A well directed short ball, on middle and leg, Charith Asalanka just sits under this one. 52 needed off 102 balls. 

On the pads, worked to the leg side for one. 

Floated, around off, CA taps it to covers for one. 

On off, shortish, punched to the bowler. 

Walks down and eases this to long on for a single. 

Gives it air and lands it around off, poked to point. 

FOUR! A boundary on the last ball. Shortish, outside off, Charith Asalanka waits for the ball and then late cuts it past short third man, for a boundary. Navdeep Saini jogs behind the ball, but the ball wins the race to the ball. 

Length ball outside off, Asalanka leaves it alone.

Another length ball around off, angling across and left alone once again.

Overpitched on middle, nudged towards deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Good bouncer outside off, Asalanka decides not to play at it.

Back of a length again around off, tapped back into the pitch by Asalanka.

Slower full toss on off, driven single-handedly towards the covers.

Fuller one around off, driven straight to mid on.

Length ball on top of off, Fernando gets behind the line to block it. NO BALL called by the third umpire! Free Hit time!

Swinging full toss on the pads, Fernando misses out and manages to flick it down to fine leg for one. Another NO BALL by Chetan Sakariya, Free Hit coming up again!

Full on off, driven through point into the deep for a single by Asalanka.

Back of a length, nudged to backward point for one.

Back of a length on middle, pulled towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Pitched up outside off, a bit slower again, pushed to point for a single.

Slower length ball around middle, tucked off the back foot towards deep sqaure leg for a single by Asalanka.

Fuller one outside off, pushed to the cover region. 

Length ball on the legs, tucked to deep square leg for a single.

Length ball on middle, pushed towards mid-wicket for one.

Back of a length outside off, dabbed into the ground towards point for a single.

Length ball on off, pushed to the cover region. Slight mix-up and the direct hit would have had him!

Length ball on off, angling across and Asalanka leaves it alone.

Length ball on off, tapped towards point.

WIDE! Length ball straying down leg, Fernando looks to flick but misses. Wided.

Back of a length around off, guided down to third man for one.

CLOSE! Fuller one on middle, de Silva looks to flick but gets the inside edge onto the pads.

Back of a length on leg stump, de Silva looks to flick but gets it on the thigh pad.

Pitched up delivery on off, driven straight to cover.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Chetan Sakariya is on fire! Could this be a way back into the match for India? Bowls this one into the pitch, on off but it's a slower one and takes off after pitching, Dhananjaya de Silva who was looking to block it, has no idea about this, looks to defend, but the ball has popped up off his gloves, straight in the air. Sakariya runs forward and pouches it.

Around off, tossed up, kept out. 

Around off, pushed to point. 

On middle, worked to the leg side for one. 

Gently eased to the long on region for a single. 

NO BALL. A shortish googly, around off, knocked through mid-wicket for one. Rahul Chahar has overstepped and it is a no ball. Free Hit coming up too.

Flatter and around off, quicker too, slammed to long on for a single. 

Gets behind the line of the ball and defends the ball out. 

A slower full ball, around off, drilled to covers. 

On a length, on middle and leg, Bhanuka Rajapaksa misses his clip to the leg side, but misses and gets pinged on the pad. An appeal but the umpire feels it is sliding down leg. 

Outside off on a length, punched to the left of sweeper cover and a couple is taken. 

Around off, worked to the mid on region. 

DROPPED AND FOUR! That should have been taken by Rana. It was a straightforward chance, but Nitish drops this and what's more? It goes for a boundary. A length delivery, around off, Bhanuka Rajapaksa hooks this one to the deep square leg region, where Rana palms it past the ropes, for a boundary. 

OUT! CAUGHT! And now, the catch is taken. A sliding effort and after a massive partnership, India finally gets a wicket. This is bowled on the pads, on a length, Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks to help this one over the fine leg region and whips it, off his hips. Gets the height, but not the distance. The man at fine leg, Krishnappa Gowtham, runs to his right, and slides to complete this catch. Bhanuka Rajapaksa will be unhappy that he could not stay out there for longer, but he has done what was needed off him. 83 needed in 144 balls. 

Shortish and on middle, nudged to the leg side. 

This is gently eased back to the bowler. 

Fired on the pads, flicked to deep square leg, for one. 

FOUR! The 100-run partnership comes up between these two. What a stand it has been. Will want to keep going on, though. Slightly shorter, outside off, Bhanuka Rajapaksa waits for the ball to come and then steers this one to the third man fence. 

Defended out well by Bhanuka. 

On middle, worked to the leg side for a single. 89 more needed here. 

A back of a length ball, around off, pushed back to Chetan. 

On the pads, whipped to fine leg for a single. 

A length ball, outside off, BR looks to have a poke, but gets beaten. 

FOUR! Again, on a shorter length, straying down leg, Bhanuka Rajapaksa pulls this one to fine leg and gets a boundary. 

Angled into the off pole, Bhanuka looks to work it to the leg side but the ball takes the leading edge and goes to point, on the bounce. 

On a fuller length, on middle, worked to the leg side. 

Nicely flighted on off, Bhanuka comes down the pitch to chip the ball down to long off for one.

Fuller delivery, pushed to mid on.

Shorter one on leg stump, spinning towards middle, nicely tucked towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! SLAPPED! Tossed up delivery around off and Bhanuka slogs it flat towards the deep mid-wicket where Sakariya puts in a good effort to catch the ball but goes off his palms into the boundary.

FOUR! FIFTY for Bhanuka Rajapaksa! Reverses the tossed up delivery on middle past point and into the boundary to bring up a maiden ODI half-century.

Shorter one, pushed off the back foot towards cover.

Loopy around off, played down to long on for a single by Fernando.

Fuller one on off, pushed to point for a quick single.

Slightly shorter on middle, tapped to deep mid-wicket for a single.

This one is pushed wider and Bhanuka slogs it across, but not off the middle, in the gap towards deep mid-wicket for a couple.

A bit short and pushed off the back foot for a single down to long on.

Tossed up and Fernando pushes it towards covers. 110 needed from 168 balls. 

Shorter ball on middle, pushed off the back foot to long on for one.

FOUR! HAMMERED! Flighted delivery outside off and Bhanuka dances down the track to loft it over covers, against the spin for a boundary.

Tossed up again and use of the feet again by Bhanuka, who checks his lofted drive in the end to get it to long on for a single.

Nicely tossed up around off, Fernando looks to block but is comprehensively beaten.

Nicely floated on off, driven down to long off for one.

Good length around off, turning in and nicely blocked by Bhanuka.

Flighted ball on off, pushed to the cover region.

Slightly shorter on middle, Fernando nudges it on the leg side for a single.

Darted in and well blocked by Bhanuka.

CHANCE....BUT DROPPED! The Indian skipper puts in a good attempt, but he is not able to hold on. Full outside off, Bhanuka slaps it across towards short mid-wicket. Shikhar flies to his left but just couldn't hang on to take a blinder of a catch. A single is taken.

Shorter ball, pushed to mid on.

Fifty for Avishka Fernando! Pushes the tossed up delivery to cover for a single and brings up a well compiled half-century.

Fuller on off, turns away, tapped to slip by Fernando.

Shorter one, pushed off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR BYES! Fuller ball, flighted on middle, spins away. Bhanuka comes down the track but gets beaten by the turn and bounce and in the end, it misses everyone, racing into the boundary.

Tossed up on middle, pushed to long on for a single.

Flighted delivery around off, Fernando comes forward and drives it down to long on for one.

Cheeky shot from Bhanuka. Tossed up on middle and just helped on its way over leg slip for a couple of runs.

Outside off, pushed to covers. 

Shortish and outside off, spins in, Avishka Fernando goes back and taps this to covers. 

Gets his bat behind the ball and blocks it out. 

A touch shortish, outside off, punched to point. It's been nice and tight from Rana, so far. 

It is a full ball, around off. Avishka Fernando presses forward and defends. 

Floated around off, pushed to long off for one. Just one off the over, then. 

TWO LEG BYES. On middle and leg, AF misses his tuck and the ball takes the pad and Sanju Samson fails to collect the ball too. Hardik Pandya at fine leg mops up. Two leg byes taken. 

FOUR! Cheeky! So delicately played. Outside off, a touch shorter, Avishka Fernando waits for the ball to arrive and then guides it late towards third man, for a boundary. 

WIDE. Down the leg side and it is wided. 

Darted on middle, Fernando works this to the fine leg region and a couple is taken. 

On off, pushed to the bowler. 

Shimmies down the track and works this to the long on region. One run. 

Presses forward to a full ball and defends it out. 136 needed in 198 balls. 

A length delivery, on leg, nicely clipped to fine leg for one. 

Around off, on a length, pushed to the cover region. 

INSIDE EDGE AND FOUR! Lady luck with Bhanuka Rajapaksa here. Pandya cut him into half, but it went past the keeper. A back of a length ball, around off, the ball nips in, Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks to defend, but the ball takes the inside edge, goes past Samson's dive, to the fence. 

Around off, dabbed to the off side. 

Short of a length, on middle, Bhanuka Rajapaksa awkwardly gets his bat down, which sees the ball take the inside edge, and hits him on the pad. 

WIDE. On a length, down the leg side, BR misses his tuck and it is a wide. 

FOUR! Second boundary of the over and it is Chetan Sakariya, who is not able to stop the ball cleanly. A touch fuller, around off, driven with purpose through extra cover. Chetan Sakariya runs to his left, dives perfectly, pulls the ball back, but the ball hits his other arm and goes past the ropes. 

Tossed up, around off, knocked to long on for one. 

Floated, around off, coming in, Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks to defend, but seems to have hit him on the pad. An appeal but turned down. The camera pans to Shikhar Dhawan, who does not take the review. A good call not to take the review, as replays show the ball to be missing the stumps. 

Around off, defended out. 

Fuller and on leg, Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks to sweep but misses and gets hit on the pad. 

Around off, tossed up, lofted over covers for one. 

Quicker on middle, nudged to the leg side for a quick single. 

Back of a length on middle, tucked fine towards square leg for a couple by Fernando.

Length ball on the pads, flicked to deep square leg for one.

Fuller delivery pushed wide, Bhanuka throws his hands at it and lofts it over covers for a couple of runs.

Good bumper on top of middle, hits Bhanuka on the helmet as he did not pick up the length.

FOUR! Short one on off but not short enough, Bhanuka pulls it across in front of square on the leg side and into the boundary.

FOUR! Really good bouncer on middle, Bhanuka again looks to pull but he's beaten for pace and gets a faint edge over the keeper's head for another boundary. 13 off HP's first over! 

Flatter delivery and flicked straight to mid-wicket.

Tossed up on middle, pushed down the ground for a single.

FOUR! Short but not that wide, Bhanuka moves away and cuts it behind point into the boundary.

Tossed up on middle, Bhanuka gets behind the ball to block it.

Nicely flighted around off, pushed back to the bowler.

Tossed up nicely just outside off, Bhanuka lets it go through to the keeper. Sri Lanka are at 55/1 at the end of Powerplay 1, they still need 172 in 222 balls! 

Back of a length on leg stump, turned off the hips towards square leg for a couple.

Length ball on top of off, defended by Fernando.

Back of a length into the body, dabbed down to mid on by Fernando.

Pitched up around off, sliced to third man for one.

FOUR! Back of a length outside off, looking to smash it through point but gets the toe end and past the bowler and into the fence, down the ground. 

Good quick delivery served on a length outside off. Beats the batsman's inside edge as he looked to work it to the leg side. 

Shorter one on off, coming into the body. Blocked to the on side.

Tossed up on middle, Fernando pushes it to mid-wicket for a quick single.

Flatter one on the legs, nudged onto the leg side for a single.

Good length delivery on middle, pushed to mid on by Fernando.

Flighted on middle, Fernando pushes this one down to long on for one.

Tossed up around off, Rajapaksa blocks it off the front foot.

FOUR! Floated outside off, gloriously driven through the cover region and into the fence by Fernando.

Tossed up on off, pushed to the cover region.

Shorter one, tucked towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Tossed up and fuller on leg stump, blocked back to the bowler.

A bit flatter on off, solidly defended by Rajapaksa.

Tossed up around middle, Rajapaksa checks his shot and blocks it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Krishnappa Gowtham starts with a short one on leg stump, Avishka Fernando dispatches it towards the fine leg boundary.

FIVE WIDES! Trying to bowl quicker and flatter, straying down leg. Fernando looks to flick but misses and it is missed by the keeper too. The ball races into the fence.

Slightly tossed up on middle, pushed to mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! First wicket in International cricket for Krishnappa Gowtham and India gets an early wicket! Full and straight on middle, Bhanuka sweeps it straight down to square leg. Chetan Sakariya takes a nice low catch and India have the first breakthrough.

Flighted delivery on middle, Rajapaksa blocks it away.

Tossed up around off, pushed back to the bowler.

Tossed up outside off, beats the outside edge as Rajapaksa looks to block it.

Quicker through the air, on middle, Fernando goes back and taps this to the leg side. 

An appeal for LBW but turned down. Floated, around off and middle, Fernando looks to slog sweep this one away but misses and gets hit on his chest. The appeal is turned down, as it looked to be spinning away. 

Around off, fuller and tossed up, eased to covers. 

A touch shorter, around off, Avishka Fernando looks to have a poke at this, but the ball spins away, to the keeper's mitts. 

Eased past the fielder at mid off and the strike is rotated. 

Quicker and flatter on middle, stays a touch low, Bhanuka works it back to the bowler. 

Width offered outside off, hit straight to the fielder at covers. 

Around middle, nudged to the leg side. 

Around off, pushed to covers. 

Outside off, chopped away to point. 

FOUR! Well played. Comes down the track to this length ball and tonks it over the mid off region for a boundary. 

Outside off, slower ball, Minod swings but misses. 

SIX! WOW! Uses the pace of the bowler and gets a biggie. On a shortish length, around the body, Avishka Fernando just pulls this one all the way over fine leg for a biggie. 

Around off, pushed to the right of mid off, where the Indian captain, Shikhar Dhawan dives that side and stops the ball. 

Around middle, nudged to mid-wicket. 

Worked towards mid-wicket again, by Fernando. 

Well fielded by Pandey! A back of a length delivery, around off, Avishka Fernando goes back and punches  this through cover-point. Manish Pandey and Suryakumar Yadav chase after this and MP pulls the ball back, before the ropes. Three. 

Outside off, guided to third man, for one. 10 from the over! 

A back of a length delivery to start off by Chetan, it is angling in, Avishka Fernando hops and awkwardly fends this out to the cover region. 

FOUR! First boundary of the run chase and Avishka Fernando takes the attack to the debutant. On a length, outside off, there is width to play with and Avishka Fernando flays this one through the cover region. Boundary.

Closer to the off pole, on a length, AF pushes it back to the bowler. 

On the body, helped through square leg for one. 

Around off, defended watchfully. 

Pitched up, outside off, slower in length, Minod Bhanuka looks to play at this, but gets beaten. 

Sri Lanka and Avishka Fernando are underway here. Around off, a length ball, pushed through the cover region, for a quick run. 

Angles in a length ball, across the leftie, Minod Bhanuka looks to have a poke at this, but gets beaten, on the outside edge. 

EDGY COUPLE! Flew over the cover fielder. On a good length, on middle, the ball catches the leading edge, as Minod looks to flick, and goes over the fielder at covers, and the batters take a brace. 

Around off, poked to the man at point. 

NO BALL. A bumper on middle, Minod sits under this one. Navdeep Saini has overstepped and it is a no ball. Free Hit coming up..

WIDE. A length ball, way outside off, Minod Bhanuka slashes hard, but he misses. Wide signalled. The Free Hit continues. 

On a shortish length, around off, hooked to Shikhar Dhawan at mid-wicket. 

Another short ball, around off, Minod looks to hook this one to the leg side, but he misses his shot. 5 off the opening over!