Batting first, with the help of tailenders, Sri Lanka somehow managed to put 215 runs on board and lost all their wickets in 39.4 overs. Nuwanidu Fernando was the only top-order batter to score fifty for the Islanders.
In reply, India couldn’t start well and lost their top order quite early. However, KL Rahul batting down the order at no. 5, didn’t disappoint as he scored an unbeaten 64 runs off 103 balls comprising of six boundaries. Rahul’s resilient knock helped India win the contest by four wickets in 43.2 overs.
After the match, Rahul spoke about his innings and batting at No.5.“Firstly, I want to be in the playing XI, that’s the most important thing. What the team requires me to do, I try to do that. I’ve done that throughout the time I played for India,” said Rahul.
Skipper Rohit Sharma also lauded the wicketkeeper batter for his under-pressure knock and said that having him bat at No. 5 gives the top order confidence to play freely.
“It was a close game but games like these teach you a loss. We had to build an innings under pressure. KL has been batting at five for a long period of time now and it gives us depth. Gives you confidence as well at the top of the order for us to go and bat freely. It was a good display of batsmanship,” Rohit said in the post-match presentation.
Apart from Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav shined for India in their victory as he took three crucial wickets in the game and was adjudged ‘Man of the Match’.
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