India vs Sri Lanka: India withdrew appeal after Mohammed Shami ‘mankaded’ Dasun Shanaka | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: With the result a foregone conclusion at the half-way mark of the run chase, the first one-day international between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday ended on a lighter note in the final over with smiles all around. Showing a goodwill gesture, India decided to withdraw their run-out appeal at the non striker’s end against the visiting skipper Dasun Shanaka, who was batting on 98.
With India sure of a victory after setting a massive 374-run target, Sri Lanka were looking to end the match on a positive note with a fine hundred from Shanaka. But it almost did not happen in the final over when India pacer Mohammed Shami ‘mankaded’ the Sri Lanka captain at the non striker’s end with just three balls left in the game.

Shanaka was on 98 not out and was looking for a quick single to get back to the strike when Shami struck the bails off. The on-field umpire had already referred the decision to the third umpire when India skipper Rohit Sharma had a chat with the bowler and decided to withdraw the run-out appeal.
Shami informed the umpire about the withdrawal decision with a big smile, and Shanaka was visibly relieved as he was clearly out of the crease when the bails were struck off.

When asked about the incident after the match, Rohit said: “I had no idea Shami did that (run-out), he was batting on 98. The way he batted was brilliant, we cannot get him out like that. Not something that we thought off, hats off to him, he played really well.”

Shanaka, 108* off 88 balls, went on to score his second ODI hundred two balls later with a four, and finished off the run chase with a big six over long-on off the last ball. But the heroics went in vain as India registered a comprehensive 67-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing a mammoth target, Sri Lanka had a horrific start and lost two early wickets inside six overs. Opener Pathum Nissanka (72 off 80) and Dhananjaya de Silva (47 off 40) tried to keep the visitors in the hunt with a 72-run stand for the fourth wicket but regular wickets after that derailed their chase.

Sri Lanka then went out of the contest when they were reduced to 206/8 in 37.5 overs, still needing 168 more to win. Shanaka and Kasun Rajitha (9* off 19) added an unbeaten 100-run stand for the ninth wicket to make sure they were not bowled out in the end as they finished at 306/8 in 50 overs.
Earlier, riding on a sensational 113 (87 balls) from Virat Kohli, his 45th ODI hundred and quick-fire fifties from Rohit (83 off 67) and Shubman Gill (70 off 60), India posted a massive 373 for 7 to be in the driver’s seat at the innings break.
The second match of the series is scheduled for Thursday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.