SL vs IND [WATCH]: Virat Kohli gets an animated send-off from Sadeera Samarawickrama in the 3rd ODI

Sri Lankan player Sadeera Samarawickrama gave Virat Kohli a🦩n aggressive send-off during the final game of the three-match ODI series on Wednesday, August 7. The match took place at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the hosts emerging victorious in the end.

Virat Kohli’s dismissal against Dunith Wellalage

Chasing a target of 249, the Men in Blue were 67/3 after 10 overs. On the fifth ball of the 11th over, Kohli was trapped in front of the wickets by Dunith Wellalage. Wellalage bowled a flighted delivery♉ on the✃ middle stump from around the wicket. The ball did not spin and instead went straight on with the arm. This brilliant variation caught Kohli off guard as he lunged forward to block it but misread the delivery. Playing outside its line, Kohli was beaten on the inside edge and was struck dead in front of the stumps on his front pad.

Send-off by Sadeera Samarawickrama

The umpire promptly raised his finger, dismissing Kohli for the third consecutive time in the series by LBW. Sadeera Samarawickrama, pumped with adrenaline, roared in delight and gave Kohli a spirited send-off as the hosts celebrated taking the big fish. Kohli had a brief discussion with Shreyas Iyer before opting for a review. However, the review revealed no involvement of the bat and confirmed three reds, sealing Kohli’s dismissal and costing India their review.

Here’s the video

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Kohli’s continued struggles

India’s batting maestro Kohli once again struggled to make a significant impact in the series. Departing after scoring 20 runs off 18 balls, Kohli’s form has been a point of concern. This was the third consecutive time in the series that he was dismissed LBW. Despite getting starts in the previous matches, his inability to convert them into big scores has been noticeable. His earlier scores in the series were also below 30, highlighting a series where he failed to dominate the opposition bowlers. Kohli’s struggles have added pressure on the Indian batting lineup, which has shown vulnerabilities against quality spin attacks.

India’s batting collapse

The Indian batters had a tough time at the crease in the final game as they struggled against the Sri Lankan spinners. Captain Rohit Sharma was the highest scorer with 35 runs, as the Men in Blue were bowled out for 138 in 26.1 overs. The Sri Lankan bowlers, led by Wellalage and Jeffrey Vandersay, kept the pressure on the Indian batters, resulting in frequent wickets. Indian team lost the match by 110 runs, thus losing the series 2-0. This defeat marked Sri Lanka’s first win against India in a bilateral ODI series in 27 years, a significant achievement for the hosts.

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