'Same Feeling': ICC Congratulate Sri Lanka For Historic ODI Series Win Over India

Sri Lanka put up a dominant display of spin bowling to crush India in the ODI series on home soil. It marked Sri Lanka’s first ODI series victory over the Men in Blue in 27 years. The Islanders last achieved the feat in 1997, when Arjuna Ranatunga was the captain of the team.

After Charith Asalanka’s men ended the 27-year-long wait for a bilateral ODI series win over India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) took to Instagram to congratulate Sri Lanka.

In a post on Instagram, ICC shared two photographs. In the first one, Ranatunga could be seen posing with the silverware that the Islanders won by registering a 3-0 win over Sachin Tendulkar-led side in 1997, and the other frame captured Sri Lanka’s current ODI captain Charith Asalanka standing with the recently won trophy at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo after the third ODI.

The ICC captioned the post, “The same feeling, 27 years apart.”

Sri Lanka hosted India in the white-ball series following a dismal campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The home side suffered a 3-0 defeat in the T20I series before making a roaring comeback in the ODIs. In Gautam Gambhir’s first series as head coach, India struggled to deliver their A-game with the bat on the challenging surface in Colombo.

Sri Lanka posted a 231-run target in the first ODI, riding on half-centuries by Prathum Nissanka and Dunith Wellalage. India made a positive start to the chase, with captain Rohit Sharma registering a quickfire 58. The middle-order batters could not capitalise on the foundation, and the match ended in a tie.

Sri Lanka batted first in the second ODI as well and posted a total of 240 runs on the board for the loss of nine wickets. Rohit Sharma once again started the chase with a half-century, but the other Indian batters surrendered early in front of Jeffrey Vandersay, who spearheaded the Sri Lanka bowling unit with a six-wicket haul. The visitors were ultimately bundled out for 208 runs.

The Sri Lankan bowlers looked more dangerous in the third ODI, where India managed only 138 runs while chasing a 249-run target. Dunith Wellalage stole the show in the second inning. The left-arm spinner scalped five wickets and conceded only 27 runs in 5.1 overs.

This ODI series win will provide Sri Lanka with a confidence boost. They managed only two victories in the last ODI World Cup to finish ninth in the standings.