Arshdeep Singh was out with one needed in 14 balls

India No.11 Arshdeep Singh was left to rue his attempted hoick, as Sri Lanka managed to tie the first ODI with two wickets off the last two balls.

Arshdeep came in to bat with India nine down, needing one run to win off 14 balls. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka had dismissed Shivam Dube off the previous ball, leaving Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep to take India past the finishing line.

However, instead of trusting his defence, Arshdeep decided to go for a wild slog, but managed to get no connection on the ball. The umpire had little hesitation giving him leg-before, sparking jubilation among Sri Lanka players and local supporters.

Since Super Overs are reserved only for ICC tournaments, which made this the 44th instance of a tied ODI in men’s cricket, and the first at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Also read – Full list of tied ODIs in men's cricket

Interestingly, India and Sri Lanka also tied the concluding match of the T20I leg earlier this week, with India winning the game via a Super Over.

On social media, many wondered as to why Arshdeep, who has batted everywhere from No.8 to No.11 in international cricket, decided to go for a ‘glory shot’ with the scores level.

Some equated it to Shannon Gabriel's "brain fade" in the 2017 Dominica Test against Pakistan, when the West Indies No.11 was bowled attempting a similar stroke moments away from clinching a draw.

After the game, captain Rohit Sharma regretted not being able to cross the finish line with one required in 14 balls.

 

 

"The scores are gettable, you have to bat well to get that,” Rohit said. “We batted well in patches, there was no consistent momentum. We started well but knew the game would start once spin comes on. We lost a few wickets and fell behind. Came back through the stand between Axar and Rahul.

“Disappointed to not get 1 run with 14 balls, but won't read too much. The bite was there at the start and then the ball became softer as the seam wore off. It was not a game where you can play your shots, had to apply yourself and dig in. Proud of how we fought, was important to hold our nerve"

The second ODI between the two sides will be played on Sunday, August 4.

Watch - Arshdeep's attempted heave goes wrong:

 

 

 

 

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