Shoddy batting costs 'New' India as Sri Lanka bag consolation three-wicket win, India win series 2-1
Colombo, Jul 23: A rejigged Indian team promised a lot but delivered little as Sri Lanka finally managed to win a ODI on home soil after nine long years, beating the visitors by three wickets in the third and final match of the series on Friday.
While India won the three-match ODI series 2-1, the exciting rookies who were blooded on the day still have a long way to go before they can come close to challenging the big boys after the Sri Lankan spinners made full use of a rain break to bowl out Shikhar Dhawan's men for 225 in 43.1 overs out of a possible 47.
It wasn't defendable, especially for an attack that had four debutant bowlers as Avishka Fernando (76 off 98 balls) anchored the chase, laying the foundation with a 109-run stand with Bhanuka Rajapaksa (65, 56 balls).
The only silver lining would be a big-hearted effort from left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya (2/34 in 8 overs), including a back of the hand delivery that reared up awkwardly and lobbed off Dhananjaya de Silva's gloves. Rahul Chahar (3/54 in 10 overs) was also impressive as he delayed the inevitable with some impressive stuff towards the end.
The 227-run chase as per DLS method was finally completed in 39 overs as it was Sri Lanka's first ODI win at home against India since July 24, 2012 and first victory against them since 2017 ODI at Djaramsala.
Rahul Dravid and skipper Dhawan would be unhappy with a low-intensity performance on the day, especially the fielding effort which was poor to say the least as three catches were dropped.
India's young batsmen paid for their profligacy and inexperience as Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama and mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya forced them to make a mess while playing for exaggerated turn which wasn't there in the first place.
With the series already pocketed, India coach Dravid experimented with the bowling line-up along with a couple of changes in the batting order, but it was evident that the lack of game awareness became their undoing on the day.
The rain break at the end of the 23rd over, which reduced the game to 47 overs per side, helped the home team. The pitch suddenly had a bit of freshness and the ball would both grip and skid, making life easier for the spinners, who rocked the middle-order.
The latest trend of young batters not being able to cope up with slow bowlers was on show as the middle-order looked clueless against Jayawickrama (3/59 in 10 overs) and Dananjaya (3/44 in 10 overs), who, in his second spell, blew away the lower middle order with turn and bounce.
However, Prithvi Shaw (49 off 49 balls) dazzled with his breathtaking array of strokes, while Sanju Samson again made batting look easy in his run-a-ball 46.
If Shaw slog-swept Jayawickrama in front and behind square, Samson would play the inside out cover drive with effortless ease.
They added 74 runs in 13.2 overs and one can't fault anyone who was dreaming of something big as the duo injected life in a dead rubber.
However, after skipper Dasun Shanaka got one to skid and trapped Shaw, Manish Pandey's (11 off 19 balls) inclusion brought about a break in momentum.
Samson was in no mood to relent but an uppish inside-out check drive was plucked by Avishka Fernando at extra-cover, like a fruit from the tree.
Post the break, when India resumed at 147 for three, the spinners suddenly started getting more turn and the rain had spiced up the pitch.
Pandey, who, perhaps, will not get any more chance on the tour or even in near future, blew it away when Jayawickrama deceived him with a beautifully flighted delivery. It was a typical orthodox left-arm spinner's dismissal as the ball spun enough to beat Pandey, who went for an expansive drive.
Hardik Pandya (17) smashed three boundaries but Jayawickrama, already pumped up with twin scalps, got another one that turned enough to square up the colourful Baroda man.
Kumar Dharmasena's poor day just became worse as the third umpire overruled him for the umpteenth time during the match.
Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 37 balls) again batted like a dream and hit seven boundaries but just like in the last match, the ball that sharply turns in became his undoing. The propensity to keep the bat behind the pads didn't work as Dananjaya's off-break found him leg before.
Debutants Krishnappa Gowtham and IPL specialist Nitish Rana both looked out of place under lights. Gowtham played a nothing shot to a full-toss from Dananjaya while Rana was beaten for turn.
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Bengal awaits May 4 results; TMC looks to retain power, BJP aims historic win after record turnout
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal heads into verdict day on Monday after over a month of frenzied campaigning, as it waits with bated breath to see whether the TMC manages to hold on to power or the BJP makes a historic breakthrough and claims the state for the first time.
As the EVMs open at 8 am, the CPI(M) and the Congress will be watching with equal keenness, hoping to reclaim a foothold in the state's electoral map after five years in the wilderness, following their wipeout in the 2021 polls.
Counting of votes will take place across 77 centres in the state, with elaborate security arrangements and a charged political atmosphere setting the stage for the declaration of results in 293 of the 294-seat House.
The Election Commission countermanded polls in the entire Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas district, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations”.
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The fresh poll in that seat and the counting will take place on May 21 and May 24, respectively.
The two-phase polls in the state ended on April 29, with what the election watchdog said was the state's highest-ever voter turnout of 92.47 per cent since Independence.
Repolling in 15 booths in South 24 Parganas concluded on Saturday, with around 87 per cent turnout recorded, officials said.
The state’s political climate bordered on the vicious, even after the conclusion of polls, leading to fervent anticipation ahead of the announcement of results, with both primary contenders TMC and BJP, claiming they were dead certain about their victory prospects.
Courtesy the tight security arrangements – with over 2.5 lakh central paramilitary personnel on the ground, besides the presence of a thoroughly reshuffled state police force – electoral violence remained at a minimum, and no deaths were reported for the first time in the state’s election history of recent decades.
This was also the first election held in the state in twenty years, conducted after an extensive, albeit controversial, SIR exercise that revised the electoral rolls, removing over 9 million voters.
The jury is out on the impact of the exercise on the electoral fortunes of all parties across the board, prompting pollsters to burn the midnight oil to make sense of the likely choice of voters and keeping the public greatly enthused about what verdict the result day would deliver.
The campaigns recorded the BJP unleashing its full might, with top leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launching all-out attacks on the TMC over corruption, law and order, infiltration, women’s safety and unemployment, while promising welfare measures.
The TMC’s retaliation, with the CM and party MP Abhishek Banerjee leading the charge, focused on SIR harassment, Bengali persecution and ‘outsider’ plank, accusing the BJP of failing to deliver on its national commitments and upholding TMC’s development report card.
Polling for the elections was held on April 23 and April 29, with a total electorate of over 3.21 crores.
The poll body has scaled down the number of counting centres this year to 77 from 87 announced earlier, and 108 in 2021, while putting in place a multi-layered security grid.
“Comprehensive security arrangements have been made to ensure that counting is conducted in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner,” a senior EC official said.
The run-up to counting, however, has been marked by high political drama, with TMC leaders, helmed by CM Mamata Banerjee, rushing to strongrooms in Kolkata, apprehending counting malpractice and alleging attempts to tamper with the sealed EVMs.
The EC rejected those allegations, maintaining that all electronic voting machines are kept under strict surveillance with round-the-clock security and CCTV monitoring.
“Strongrooms are secured under a three-tier security system, and candidates or their representatives are allowed to keep watch as per protocol. There is no scope for any tampering,” another poll panel official said.
Closer to the counting date, security outside strongrooms has been further tightened, with the EC deploying 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers to oversee the process and ensure adherence to norms.
In Kolkata, counting for 11 assembly constituencies will be conducted across five locations - Ballygunge Government High School, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, Shakhawat Memorial School, Netaji Indoor Stadium and St Thomas Boys’ School.
Counting for the Bhabanipur seat, arguably carrying the highest symbolic weight where Mamata Banerjee is taking on senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in a prestige fight on her home turf, will be held at the Sakhawat Memorial centre.
The EC has introduced stringent access control measures, mandating entry only through QR code-based photo identity cards issued via its ECINet system. Mobile phones have been barred inside counting halls, except for returning officers and observers.
The counting exercise will be conducted under a framework upheld by the Supreme Court, which on Saturday declined to pass further directions on a TMC plea challenging the deployment of central government personnel.
The elections saw the TMC contesting in 291 seats and its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), led by Anit Thapa, fielding candidates in three seats in the Darjeeling hills.
The BJP, Congress and the Left Front are gunning for all 294 segments, with parties like Humayun Kabir’s AJUP and Asaduddin Owasi’s AIMIM also trying their luck in some crucial pockets.
BJP leaders like Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Roopa Ganguly and Nishit Pramanik are in the fray, while prominent TMC candidates include Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh, Madan Mitra and Udayan Guha.
