Sri Lanka secured a stunning 110-run victory against India in the third and final ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, August 7. This victory sealed a 2-0 series win for Sri Lanka, marking their first bilateral series triumph over India in 27 years. The hosts dominated the ODI series after India had previously swept the T20I series 3-0.
India struggled against Sri Lanka’s spinners, who outclassed them in the 50-over format. The series win is a significant milestone for Sri Lanka, a team currently undergoing a transition and looking to regain their form on the international stage.
Here are the top three reactions to Sri Lanka’s historic series win:
#1 Sanath Jayasuriya – “It was a very long wait”
Sri Lanka’s interim head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, was ecstatic about his team’s performance. The former explosive opener, who played a key role in Sri Lanka’s last series win against India in 1997, expressed his joy in leading the team to this long-awaited victory.
“It was a very long wait because that series I played in 1997 and got a lot of runs in that series. That was the last series we won against India. After 27 years, I am part of the team, and I am very happy to be part (with these boys),” Jayasuriya shared.
Jayasuriya highlighted the young talent in the Sri Lankan squad, including players like Wellalage, Nissanka, and Avishka Fernando. “The boys went through a very, very hard time. Even during the T20 series, we played well, but the result was not what was expected. The players realized what went wrong when we came back to Colombo, and they started to play well,” he added.
#2 Aakash Chopra – “The ruthlessness was missing”
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra criticized India’s performance, pointing out the lack of ruthlessness that cost them the series. He noted that India struggled to close out games and often appeared complacent.
“We weren’t able to close out the innings with the ball. There seemed a sense of complacency that we would get the wickets anyway, and if we don’t get the wickets, we will chase the runs anyway. The ruthlessness was missing,” Chopra stated on his YouTube channel.
Chopra also emphasized that India’s batting falters on spinning tracks, unlike their usual dominance on flatter pitches. “Our batting becomes ordinary when the pitches begin to turn, and the gap in the quality of bowling is reduced. So this is a problem they need to address,” he added.
#3 Kumar Sangakkara – “A great series win after 27 years”
Legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara took to social media platform X to applaud the Sri Lankan team and coaching staff for their remarkable achievement.
“A great series win after 27 years,” Sangakkara wrote, acknowledging the significance of the victory. While celebrating the success, he also reminded the team that there is still a long journey ahead to consistently compete with the top teams.
This historic series win is not just a victory on the field but a symbol of Sri Lanka’s potential as they rebuild and aim for greater success in the future.
