The Indian cricket team gets a boost of confidence after winning with seven wickets with 13 overs to spare in their first match against Sri Lanka on 18 July at the R Premadasa Stadium. Shikhar Dhawan’s esteem resonates with the rest of the squad, even declaring that they have a great chance at winning their rematch on July 20.
The first game of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka was described as a ‘walk in the park’. Captain Dhawan shows his satisfaction for his team’s bowlers during the first game. Yuzvendra Chahal, Krunal Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav were the most honourable mentions for their good spin from the surface.
Sri Lanka is one of the best in international cricket. They made a quick rise from being the underdogs to Cricket World Cup champions in 1996. Team Lions have also managed to reach the finals and end as runner ups a couple of times in the past (2007 and 2011).
It came to everyone’s surprise that India beat them so easily in their first match at the opponent’s home stadium. The home team failed to manage their defences against the Indian batting lineup. Such performance is sure to consider the Indian team as a favourite in online betting sites with the best predictions and tips.
There were a few hopeful moments for Sri Lanka but only during the beginning and end of the match. Minod Bhanuka and Avishka Fernando from Team Sri Lanka had little trouble matching the opponent bowlers. They even reach an impressive 49 runs during their turns at the beginning. Chamika Karunaratne and Dushmantha Chameera did the same at the end of the event as they scored 40 more runs in just 19 balls.
Team India turned the game around when they started to introduce spinning. The young prodigy, Prithvi Shaw, stylishly stole the game with a stunning 24-ball 43. Sri Lanka failed to respond during the shift which allowed India to snowball towards the next over. Another young cricketer, Ishan Kishan, continued Shaw’s momentum with a six and score. It is impressive given that this is his debut in the ODI and his birthday.
Dhawan noted that he is proud of his team’s performance. The squad was, as he described, mature and aggressive. It was even more impressive for him because he originally intended to play calmly but the young players, especially Prithvi and Ishan, were so eager. Though some would dismiss their eagerness as recklessness, Dhawan knew that the boys were wiser than that. After all, they are both famous for ending the game with only 15 overs.
Captain Dasun Shanaka of team Sri Lanka admits that the opposing team bowled too well than they expected. The home team wasn’t prepared for aggressive bowling, especially because it is the beginning of the ODI. However, he is confident that their team will be better prepared to meet India’s mettle in the next matches or distant future games. Their performances in the first matches of the ODI has affected their odds in most online sportsbooks that also feature some of the best predictions and tips.
