India’s K L Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav shake hands with Sri Lankan players after winning the second one-day international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata, India, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI Highlights: KL Rahul showed some glimpses of form with a gutsy half-century as he anchored India to a hard-earned four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second ODI. Rahul scored an unbeaten 64 off 103 balls on a difficult track as India chased down a modest target of 216 in 43.2 overs. The second highest score for India was vice-captain Hardik Pandya’s 36. Earlier, Sri Lanka were all out for 215 in 39.4 overs with debutant Nuwanido Fernando scoring 50
Mohammed Siraj (3/30) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/51) were the most successful bowlers for the hosts.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 215 all out in 39.4 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 50, Kusal Mendis 34; Kuldeep Yadav 3/51, Mohammed Siraj 3/30.)
India 219/6 in 43.2 overs (KL Rahul 64 not out, Lahiru Kumara 2/64, Chamika Karunaratne 2/51).
India
219/6 (43.2)Sri Lanka
215 (39.4)India beat Sri Lanka by 4 wickets
Virat Kohli celebrates his century during the 1st ODI cricket match between India and Sri Lanka, at Barsapara stadium in Guwahati. (PTI Photo)
It hasn't been convincing by the hosts. However, they reached the target and bagged another bilateral trophy. KL Rahul stayed till the end and played a controlled knock to see the side through.
IND 219/6
Kuldeep Yadav cuts one over the point for a boundary of Kumara's short one. India has reached closer to the target now. Seems like India is going to win the three-match ODI series here.
IND 203/6
Axar Patel plays an inside-out shot which was held brilliantly by Chamika on the boundary. Another small opening for Sri Lanka here. However, is it too late?
IND 191/5
Axar Patel has started well. He hit a couple of boundaries to put the pressure right back on Sri Lanka. India is within touching distance of winning this game.
IND 186/5
Karunaratne has been exceptional on the night so far. However, in this over he gave a free hit and a boundary which gave away all the pressure that was built in the previous overs. India looking comfortable again.
IND 180/5
Sri Lanka fielders are chirping again. Axar gets off the mark with a nervy cut over the point. The set batter KL Rahul is still at the crease. It is getting a little tricky for the Indians here.
IND 166/5
Hardik was looking comfortable. However, Chamika produces a brilliant delivery. Hardik trying to drive on up knicks one straight to the keeper. Is this the opening Sri Lanka looking for?
IND 161/4
Hardik and Rahul have been brilliant so far. The ball has lost its shine. The wicket lost its zip. The Sri Lankan shoulders are slowly dropping here. Dasun Shanaka seems running out of options at the moment.
IND 159/4
India looked a bit shaky during the first water break. However, things have changed significantly courtesy of the Kl Rahul and Hardik Pandya partnership. The duo batted sensibly and weathered the early storm and now has set a launching pad to finish the game.
IND 147/4
India is looking extremely comfortable at the moment. The Sri Lankan skipper turned to his sixth bowling option with Dhananjaya. He started his first over well but will be fascinating to see how long he will stick to him.
IND 146/4
Shanaka makes a loud appeal for caught behind off KL Rahul but the umpire is no mood to entertain that. Shanaka seems convinced there was an edge but cant get anything out of it. Rahul and Pandya have been quiet for a few overs now. Boundaries have dried up but the req. run-rate is still below 4.
Hardik Pandya takes a single and 100 comes up for Team India after 20 overs. KL Rahul is on 15 while Pandya is on 7. The partnership is worth 15*(34). India need another 115 runs off 180 balls. The req. run-rate is 3.83 RPO
Kasun Rajitha traps Shreyas Iyer lbw for 28. However, he did go for the review but to no avail. No bat and ball tracking suggests it would hit the leg stump. India: 86/4 (14.2), need 130 runs.
Rajitha runs in to bowl at Shreyas Iyer who closed the bat early and the leading edge goes through a vacant cover point region. Score after 13 overs, IND: 81/3
Lahiru Kumara cleans up Virat Kohli who gets an inside-edge and the ball crashes into his stumps. The Indian top three are back in the hut. KL Rahul comes to the crease. Score after 10 overs, IND: 67/3
Sri Lankan seamers gave away some runs up front but dismissed India’s opening pair. Now Kohli and Iyer have steadied the ship. Kohli needs to see off a couple of overs, before introducing the big drives on the front foot. The ball is still straightening up a bit after pitching. Score after 8 overs, IND: 52/2
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill depart in quick succession as IND lose their openers chasing 216. Rohit was dismissed by Karunaratne as he edged one to the keeper after which Gill was caught by Avishka Fernando! All of a sudden India are two down and with 2 new batters in the middle - Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer.
Gill through the off side again and this time all he needs to is get bat on ball off Rajitha and the ball races away for a four. Rohit Sharma (9*) and Shubman Gill (12*) off to a quick start. Score after 3 overs, IND: 24/0
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are at the crease. Rohit is on strike. Rajitha will open the attack and a cracker of a shot in the second ball as Rohit comes down the ground and slaps it over the covers for a four. WOW! What a start.
An early wrap up of the Lankan innings means the Cricket Association of Bengal’s (CAB) laser show, scheduled to be held during the innings break, will take place after the game. It was planned to give a tribute to legendary footballer Pele, who died recently, by showing footage of his artistry on giant screens during. On September 24, 1977, Pele came to the Eden Gardens to play for New York Cosmos Club against Mohun Bagan. The surviving members of the Mohun Bagan team have also been invited for the ODI. The laser show will now be held after the match. The visitors were bowled out inside 40 overs, and it is not dark enough, so now the laser will happen after the end of the match.
Siraj removes Wellalage & Kumara in the same over and with that Lankan innings comes to a close. Sri Lanka all out for 215 runs at Kolkata's Eden Gardens and that too in 39.4 overs.
Shami despite picking a wicket has bowled well. He continues to induce the edges of the batters. Sri Lanka is almost near 200. If they can manage to get another 20-30 runs will give themselves at least a fighting chance.
SL 199/8
Umran's pace gets Chamika out. Chamika trying to cut one towards the point gets caught by Axar. Brilliant catch by Axar identical to the one that got Hasaranga. Sri Lanka is completely into tailer enders now.
SL 179/8
Chamika averages over 30 in ODI cricket. For a batter who is batting at number nine that is pretty impressive. If Chamika hit a few blows and takes the score over 200-220 Sri Lanka may be in with a chance.
SL 177/7
Umran is throwing in a few bumpers here against Chamika. Chamika trying to evade them gets hit on the hand ones. Some starring at each other by the batter and the bowler.
SL 164/7
The contrast between the first drink break and the second one is evident. Sri Lanka looked like they were going to post 330 during the first break. However, now things have taken a sharp turn courtesy of Kuldeep's spell.
SL 160/7
With Kuldeep bowling so well will be interesting to see if the Indian management will stick to him or go back to Chahal for the final ODI in Kerala. Sri Lanka's batting on the other hand collapsed again a lot of questions for visiting thinktank.
SL 158/7
Hasaranga's brief counter-attack comes to an end. Umran Malik bought into the attack picks up a wicket. Sri Lanka will be trying to stitch a partnership to reach at least the 200 mark.
SL 152/7
The Sri Lankan batters are not picking Kuldeep at the moment. The leg-spinner has picked up his third wicket five overs into his spell. Sri Lanka at one point looked like posting a mamoth score on the board is now struggling.
SL 127/6
Sri Lanka where 102/1 at one point is now 126/5. Kuldeep Yadav picks up in form Dasun Shanaka. Kuldeep has been brilliant so far in this spell. The batters are struggling to pick the chinaman bowler.
SL 126/5
Brilliant inning by the youngster. He looked calm cool composed and solid. Despite losing partners from the other end. The batter did not lose his focus or concentration.
SL 118/4
The spinners are operating from either end. The dots are building continuously Sri Lankan batters are being tied down. Will be interesting to see how will Nawanidu take his innings from here.
SL 115/3
Axar Patel bought into the attack picks up the wicket of new batter Dhananjaya. Sri Lanka after starting well is looking in a bit of bother here. They are in need of a partnership.
SL 105/3
The partnership looking ominous has been broken by the leg spinner. Sri Lankan batter once again after getting a start throws it away. This may be an opportunity for India to get back into the game.
SL 103/3
This is a proper test for the Indian bowling on a flat wicket here. The Sri Lanka batters are putting the bowling under pressure. Umran Malik has been taken to the cleaners will be interesting to see the response.
SL 88/1
The 50-run partnership comes up between Nuwanidu and Kushal Mendis. The batters are looking in complete control so far. The wicket looks flat. Considering the dew in the second innings Sri Lanka might be looking at a minimum of 330.
SL 83/1
Sri Lankan batters are taking a liking to the pace of Umran here. The ball is flying all over the ground. With the outfield being so quick the ball is running off the bat due to the pace of Malik.
SL 72/1
Kusal and Nuwanidu have looked home on this flat deck. Nuwanidu on his debut is showing solid temperament against the quality bowling of Shami and Siraj. Sri Lanka will be looking to post a big total here.
SL 56/1
Shami has been replaced from one of the ends. Hardik Pandya has been brought into the attack. This has been a regular pattern by Rohit to bring in Hardik in the ninth over of the innings.
SL 47/1
The wicket looks fabulous for batting. Sri Lankan batters will be licking their lips to get an opportunity to bat on this one. The last time these two sides met at this venue Rohit Sharma scored 264 runs.
SL 39/1
Identical dismissal for Avishka. The ball jags back into the right-hander. Avishka trying to drive through the offside loses his stumps. Siraj after a mixed start slowly gets into his rhythm here.
SL 29/1
There’s an early movement for Shami and Siraj. A couple of balls have missed the outside edge. Two edges has gone wide to the second slip. Shami is operating that nagging fourth stump line, while Siraj, after a good first over, has been a bit wayward. Avishka Fernando eased the pressure by hitting a hat-trick of boundaries off Siraj’s bowling.
Pratyush Raj from Eden Gardens
Nuwanidu looks solid in his defence. The young player has been compact so far and got off the mark with a beautiful boundary. He would look to cash in on the flat one here.
SL 27/0
Sri Lankan openers have started circumspectively here. Indian bowlers have been a bit on and off with their bowling so far. Siraj who has been exceptional in the first game has not found the right line and length yet.
SL 21/0
Shami bowled tight lines and lengths. The Sri Lanka openers looked tight in their defence. There has been not a lot of moment of the surface despite some green patches on the surface.
SL 5/0
Debutant Nuwanidu Fernando walks into the middle alongside Avishka. Mohammad Shami takes the new ball for India. Will be interesting to see if he can extract some moment of the surface to trouble the Sri Lankan openers.
I was in two minds. Wanted to bat first because of how we played last time, but looking at this ground, I wanted to field. Overall, improvements are as a team, nothing in particular. What we've done in the past is in the past, we need to look ahead and keep doing better. I love playing here, the crowd is also energetic and that motivates me always. But it is in the past, I need to start fresh. One enforced change for us, Chahal in the last game put in a dive and hasn't recovered well today, so Kuldeep Yadav comes in.
We'll bat first. Very good wicket to bad first, also looking at the venue stats. Important to score, be relaxed and play our natural game. Two changes - Madhushanka and Pathum Nissanka out,
"One of the features of this venue is the lightning quick outfield. This venue isn't that big which doesn't help the bowling side. Looks like a belter. We're on another road just like Guwahati. Hard ground to defend. Batters will love it. The pitch is hard, very good covering of grass and it's very difficult to see there being sideways movement. The spinners will have to vary their pace and so will the faster bowlers."
Indian coach Rahul Dravid celebrated his 50th birthday with his staff and players in Kolkata on the eve of the second ODI between India and Sri Lanka, a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) showed on Wednesday.
The video released on Twitter by BCCI was captioned “A special birthday celebration here for #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid ??”. In the video, Dravid was seen cutting a cake while everyone sang Happy Birthday to him. (read more)