‘Bhai aise kon khelta hai spin’ – Fans react as Dunith Wellalage registers his maiden fifer against India in Asia Cup 2023
Dunith Wellalage (Source: Twitter)
The Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage claimed figures of 5/40 as Sri Lanka bowled out India for 213 in 49.1 overs in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday, September 12. Batting first after winning the toss on a turning track, India got off to a solid start as openers Rohit Sharma (53) and Shubman Gill (19) added 80 for the first wicket. However, 20-year-old Wellalage proved too hot for the Indian batters to handle as they quickly crumbled to 91/3.
The introduction of Wellalage in the 12th over, however, completely changed the momentum of the innings. The left-arm spinner knocked over Gill with his first delivery as a flighted one angled in and then turned past the batter’s outside edge. Virat Kohli also fell to the left-arm spinner for 3. The batter tried to whip one on the leg side, but the ball stuck in the pitch and Kohli ended up chipping a catch to short midwicket.
The 20-year-old also ended Rohit’s resistance, cleaning him up with one that was kept low and skidded through. Following the Indian captain’s dismissal, Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul steadied the innings to some extent, adding a hard-fought 63 for the fourth wicket. Neither batter, however, looked set on the tricky surface.
The resolute stand ended in the 30th over when Rahul (39 off 44) chipped a return catch to the 20 year old all-rounder as a delivery gripped and turned off the surface. The left-arm spinner completed a well-deserved five-fer off the last ball of his spell, inducing an edge off Hardik Pandya’s (5) defensive stroke. Sri Lanka took a smart review to overturn the original decision of not out.
Let us see how Twitter has reacted to this astonishing bowling performance from Wellalage:
Our Indian team has old habit of making every new player star.
— Shubman Gang (@ShubmanGang) September 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/ShuhidAufridi/status/1701569001724445029
https://twitter.com/ishsagar/status/1701569482496385136
This pitch is spinning like a day 3 or day 4 pitch in a test match. The amount of turn we're seeing is surprising .
— Vipin Tiwari (@vipintiwari952) September 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/Ek_Indian07/status/1701568844706533449
1st ball gill last ball hardik
— Hussain (@imhussy92) September 12, 2023
Rare failure Hardik, What a spinner , Any day better than 150+ bowlers , 130. + Spinners. Great talent. MI will buy him
— User45 (@140off113) September 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/WasiyullahB/status/1701568666448670739
We surely gonna see him more in upcoming years
Well bowled Dunith Wellalage— Vजय Sharमाँ (@vij7227) September 12, 2023
Asalanka also contributed with a four-fer
India faced more trouble even after Wellalage completed his spell, as part-time off-spinner Asalanka made significant inroads into the lower order. Asalanka managed to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja, who scored 4 runs off 19 balls, by inducing spin and sharp bounce that resulted in a catch behind the stumps.
The all-round bowler then took the wicket of Jasprit Bumrah for just 5 runs with a well-tossed-up delivery. Asalanka continued his impressive spell by claiming two wickets in two balls when Kuldeep Yadav was dismissed without scoring, nicking a back-of-length delivery to slip. At that point, after 47 overs, India’s score stood at 197/7 when rain briefly interrupted play.
A valuable contribution of 26 runs off 36 balls from Axar Patel ensured that the Indian team crossed the 210-run mark. Patel, a left-hander, hit a six-over long-on off Maheesh Theekshana to conclude the 48th over but was subsequently dismissed by the Sri Lankan spinner in the final over.
