Sri Lanka thrash India to record first bilateral ODI series win since 1997

'Spin to win' was the mantra throughout this series, and the third T20I was no exception. The Sri Lankan batters needed to post a competitive total to bring their spinners into play, which they did, recording the highest score of the series with 248. This gave their spinners the platform they needed, and they delivered spectacularly. Dunith Wellalage stood out with a five-wicket haul, emerging as the standout player of the series. This victory marked India's first bilateral series loss to Sri Lanka since 1997. Sri Lanka's players can now revel in the adulation from the home crowd, having defeated the ODI World Cup runners-up on home soil for the first time in the 21st century.

Earlier in the game, for the third consecutive time, Charith Asalanka won the toss and opted to bat first, making the most of the early batting-friendly conditions. Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando were aggressive from the start, particularly targeting Mohammed Siraj during the Powerplay. Even the Indian spinners initially struggled to make an impact, but things evened out once Axar Patel got the first wicket. Avishka shone with a brilliant knock of 96, while Kusal Mendis contributed a valuable half-century. For India, the spinners bowled well, but debutant Riyan Parag was the standout, taking 3 wickets and consistently challenging the Lankan batters.

In reply, India started briskly in the Powerplay, thanks to Rohit Sharma, but faltered in the middle phase, ultimately losing the game by a significant margin. The Indian batters struggled to cope with the disciplined Sri Lankan spin attack. Apart from Rohit, none of the Indian batters could muster big runs. Virat Kohli got a start and he too failed to take India past the finish line. The rest of the middle order crumbled under pressure. Washington Sundar offered some resistance with a counter-attack late in the innings with Kuldeep Yadav, but by then, the game had already slipped away from India.

This defeat has highlighted India's ongoing struggles against spin, a recurring issue in recent years. This loss was particularly painful as it marked the beginning of a new era under Gautam Gambhir.