Watch: Jasprit Bumrah bowled a deceptive slower ball, forcing Kusal Mendis to be early into his shot, leading him to spoon the easiest of catches to the cover fielder in India’s Super Fours clash against Sri Lanka today (September 12).
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India started well with the bat after winning the toss. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill produced yet another 50-plus opening partnership to take India to 80-0. However, it went downhill from there as Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka spun a web on the turning track of the R Premadasa Stadium.
Wellalage took five, Asalanka took four, and Maheesh Theekshana took one as India were bowled out for 213, making it the first occasion where India lost all ten wickets to spin in an ODI.
In response, Sri Lanka didn’t have the best of starts as they were faced with the Jasprit Bumrah new-ball challenge. Continuing his form from the previous night against Pakistan, Bumrah hooped the new ball around corners.
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Pathum Nissanka was his first victim, edging a classic outswinger outside off stump to the wicketkeeper in the third over of the innings. Mendis, who came out to bat at No.3, had a tough time negotiating Bumrah.
On the third ball of the seventh over, Mendis somehow kept out a searing yorker aimed at his toes. However, he had no answer to the next ball. A slow, loopy, near yorker-length delivery outside off stump was spooned up to cover by Mendis, who failed to read the change of pace and the late dip.
The dismissal was referred to the third umpire to check if the ball had bounced after coming in contact with the bat, but replays showed it had not and that it was a clean catch.
Bumrah finished his first spell with figures of 1-21 from five overs.
Watch Jasprit Bumrah fox Kusal Mendis with deceptive slower ball:
It’s BOOM TIME! 💥⌚
Clever piece of bowling by @Jaspritbumrah93, foxing the batter with a wonderfully disguised slower one! 😮
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— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 12, 2023