Colombo, Aug 4: For the second time in as many matches, Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis rescued Sri Lanka’s innings with an inspiring lower-order fightback, as the hosts’ made a competitive 240/9 in the second ODI against India at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

Electing to bat first on a dry pitch, Sri Lanka found themselves in trouble at 136/6 in 34.5 overs, despite a 74-run stand between Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis, before Wellalage (39) and Kamindu (40) were impressive in a superb 72-run stand off 68 balls for the seventh wicket.

The duo’s efforts meant Sri Lanka made a fighting total, especially with 79 runs coming off the last ten overs. Moreover, Kamindu’s inclusion in place of fast-bowler Mohamed Shiraz proving to be a useful move. For India, Washington Sundar starred with 3-30, while Kuldeep Yadav (2-33) and Axar Patel (1-38) shared three wickets between themselves.

Mohammed Siraj gave India a wicket on the very first ball when Pathum Nissanka felt for the ball angling in, but it seamed away late to take an outside edge and was caught by KL Rahul falling to his right.

Fernando was comfortable from the get go – cover-driving and pulling off Arshdeep Singh with ease for boundaries, before chipping and heaving Siraj for a brace of fours. On the other hand, Kusal was steady and even survived a caught-behind appeal off Axar.

Shortly after Fernando swept Washington for a boundary, the off-spinner struck as he caught the leading edge coming off the batter’s attempted flick off his own bowling to break the crucial second-wicket stand at the stroke of drinks break. In his next over, Washington struck again as Kusal missed the delivery on sweep and was trapped plumb lbw.

The move to bring Axar, who challenged the batters constantly in his first spell, worked well when Sadeera Samawickrama danced down the pitch for a slog, but miscued it and was caught by a back-pedaling cover fielder.

Janith Liyanage got a caught-behind appeal overturned on review off Washington, but fell prey to the slowness of an outside off-stump delivery from Kuldeep and hit the drive straight to the spinner, who took a leaping overhead catch in his follow-through.

Washington came back to get his third wicket by rattling Charith Asalanka with turn and bounce, and give a simple catch to backward point. Kamindu began the rearguard act by reverse-sweeping Kuldeep and being given a reprieve off the same shot when Shivam Dube dropped the catch.

Wellalage, who ran well between the wickets, joined in by steering Axar past third man for four and getting just enough on the slog to beat long-on for six. He then played a lofted off-drive against Siraj for six, followed by Mendis going down the ground against Arshdeep for a boundary.

But Wellalage’s attempt to reverse-sweep Kuldeep didn’t get desired timing and gave a catch to short fine leg. Akila Dananjaya got an inside edge past Arshdeep for four, before he and Mendis lofted Siraj for a boundary each. Kamindu sliced a low full toss over point off Arshdeep for four in the final over, before he and Dananjaya were run-out on last two balls of the innings.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 240/9 (Kamindu Mendis 40, Avishka Fernando 40; Washington Sundar 3-30, Kuldeep Yadav 2-33) against India

--IANS

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