Rohit Sharma’s Verdict on India vs Sri Lanka ODI Tie

India captain Rohit Sharma believes that the 231-run target set by Sri Lanka in the first ODI at R Premadasa Stadium was “gettable.” Despite restricting Sri Lanka to 230/8, the chase proved to be a roller-coaster for the Indian team. Rohit provided an explosive start with 58 runs off 47 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, but the game became tense as India lost wickets towards the end, resulting in a tie in the absence of a Super Over.

“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,” Rohit commented during the post-match presentation.

After Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal, Sri Lanka seemed poised to win, reducing India to 132-5 in 24.2 overs. However, Axar Patel (33) and KL Rahul (31) staged a comeback with a 57-run partnership. When the partnership ended, Shivam Dube almost clinched victory for India but was dismissed by Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka just before the finish line. With one run needed in more than two overs, Asalanka’s crucial wicket brought the game to a draw.

Reflecting on the outcome, Rohit said, “With the KL-Axar partnership, we came back. Little disappointing at the end. These things happen. 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.