It is not the first time that the Sri Lankan cricket team has fallen into a rut and then emerged from it strong and confident to give other nations a good run for their money. The Himalayan mountain serving as the backdrop in Dharamsala provided the ideal setting for Sri Lanka to end their 12-match losing streak in One-Day Internationals when they pulled off a comprehensive seven-wicket win over India to go one-up in the three-match series.
Twenty seventeen has not been a good year for Sri Lanka and quite so because their team rebuilding process ran into a road block that comprised shocking selections to satisfy the whims and fancies of certain top officials of Sri Lanka Cricket, injuries and poor physical fitness – all of which contributed to the losses.
Prior to the first ODI against India on Sunday, Sri Lanka had just four wins from 26 matches against 21 losses. The 21 losses included a streak of 12 consecutive defeats for 2017 that fell three short of their record run which is 14 from January 11, 1987 to January 10, 1988.
During this period Sri Lanka also had another unique and comical record because the ODI team was led by no less than four captains – Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera and Lasith Malinga. One can imagine how anyone can sit down and plan out strategies against the opposition when there is such a constant change of captains.
With a new selection committee in place headed by former Sri Lanka fast bowler Graeme Labrooy the changes brought about by them basing selections largely on consistency has to some extent started to bear results.
In Tests after being routed 3-0 at home by India, Sri Lanka performed much better in India cutting down on the losing deficit to just 1-0 when the detractors were looking forward to another 3-0 drubbing. The final last Test played at Delhi brought out the best of Sri Lankan cricket to fight till the end and to never give up. That they came out with an honourable draw denying India a win was in itself a morale victory that was to some extent carried onto the first ODI played at Dharamsala where under a new captain – the fifth for the year Thisara Perera, Sri Lanka finally brought to an end their 12-match losing streak.
From the way the players trained and the amount of workload put in by the support staff to uplift the fortunes of the team had to bear fruit at some point of time. It all came together at Dharamsala, much to the relief of the team and everyone connected to cricket including the ardent fans who brave the vagaries of the weather in the open stands just to cheer our cricketers.
What a great feeling it would have been in the Sri Lankan camp when Angelo Mathews drove Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar past mid-off for a four to signal a seven-wicket win and bring to an end the dry spell. Mathews had gone through some hardships first as captain and then as a player fighting off injuries and form but when he scored the winning runs there was hardly any reaction from the former captain or his partner Niroshan Dickwella, just a smile of satisfaction that the losing streak had finally ended. Mathew not only had the honour of making the winning hit but also picked up the first Indian wicket that started their batting collapse. At one time Sri Lanka had India reeling at 29-7 and in danger of being dismissed for their lowest ever ODI total – 54 which was also against Sri Lanka at Sharjah in the Coca Cola Champions Trophy final in 2000.
However India was denied that embarrassment by Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has been a thorn in the Sri Lankan side denying them of many victories in the recent past with his unique batting skills and tenacity. Dhoni on this occasion could not bring victory to India but he at least ensured they reached a decent total – 112, which in the circumstances they were placed at one stage looked a huge contribution. Dhoni scored a fighting 65 off 87 balls but unlike on previous occasions he could not find a partner to stay long enough with him to take the game away from Sri Lanka.
Credit to the new captain Perera for having the common sense to bowl out Suranga Lakmal his full quota of ten overs in one spell. Seldom do captains take that gamble always holding back their best bowlers for the slog overs. Lakmal was on song as he used the conditions to the maximum to wreck India’s top and middle-order batting that was sans their captain Virat Kohli to finish with a career best 4/13 off 10 overs and win his first Man of the Match award.
Sri Lanka’s win meant that India will not end 2017 as the number one ODI side, to achieve that they needed to win the series 3-0. In the meantime Sri Lanka with the confidence gained from their victory will be looking to wrap up the series with a win in the second ODI at Mohali today.
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