India captain Rohit Sharma believes that the 231-run target set by Sri Lanka in the first ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium was “gettable,” despite the dramatic twists that led to a draw in the match.
After Sri Lanka posted a total of 230/8, India’s chase proved to be a rollercoaster. Rohit Sharma, who scored a solid 58 off 47 balls with seven fours and three sixes, got the innings off to a strong start. However, the chase became increasingly tense as India lost key wickets toward the end.
In his post-match presentation, Rohit acknowledged that while the target was achievable, the team’s performance was inconsistent. “The score was gettable. You have to bat well to get there. We batted well in patches. No consistent momentum. We had the upper hand. We lost a couple of wickets,” he commented.
The turning point came with the dismissal of Shreyas Iyer, which put Sri Lanka in a strong position. India was precariously placed at 132-5 in 24.2 overs, but a crucial 57-run partnership between Axar Patel (33) and KL Rahul (31) revived the chase. Despite their efforts, the partnership was broken, and Shivam Dube’s attempt to finish the game was thwarted by Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka, who delivered the decisive blow.
With just one run needed from more than two overs, Asalanka’s intervention sealed the draw. Rohit Sharma remarked, “With the KL-Axar partnership, we came back. Little disappointing at the end. These things happened. Sri Lanka played well. In the end, it was a fair result. It (pitch) remained the same. It’s not where you can come and play your shots. You have to dig in. The game shifted towards both teams at different times. We should have got that one run.”
India and Sri Lanka will face off again in the second ODI on Sunday, at the same venue, as both teams look to gain an advantage in the series.
