Mohammed Shami grabbed five wickets as India cruised to a comfortable 302-run win over Sri Lanka to secure their spot in the semi-final of the Cricket World Cup.
In their miserable innings, Sri Lanka amassed five noughts and lost to 14-6 chasing 358 after both of their openers fell for golden ducks.
After Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj struck with the new ball in an innings with a top score of just 14, Shami took 5–18 in five overs.
After Bumrah (1-8 in five overs) and Siraj (3-16 in seven overs) caused the initial damage, Shami (two wickets in two balls) completed Sri Lanka’s swift collapse.
India’s winning margin in a World Cup match was the highest by a significant margin, surpassing their 257-run victory over Bermuda, a non-Test nation, in the Caribbean during the 2007 edition.
In September, Sri Lanka lost the Asia Cup to India in Colombo by 10 wickets, but their total was higher than their innings lost at 50 all out.
They also spared themselves the humiliation of breaking the record for the lowest total in a one-day international, which stood at 35, and the World Cup record, which stood at 36, set by Canada in 2003 in Paarl, South Africa, against Sri Lanka.
These were scant consolation for a Sri Lankan team that was losing for the fifth time in seven World Cup games.
The home crowd was a little let down earlier when Virat Kohli failed to tie Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 one-day international hundreds.
Even so, he made 88 in a total of 357-8, sharing a stand of 189 with opener Shubman Gill (92), after India captain Rohit Sharma was out of the game after the second ball.
After both batsmen were removed in quick succession, Shreyas Iyer amassed an incredible 82 runs, including six sixes.
In the 2011 World Cup final, India defeated Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium, so the visitors would have wanted a strong start against such a formidable opponent.
Rather, Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for nought on Bumrah’s opening ball of the innings, and Siraj also had the other opening batsman, Dimuth Karunaratne, out for nought at the beginning of the subsequent over.
After edging Siraj to third slip Iyer, Sadeera Samarawickrama too was out for a duck after surviving four balls.
Siraj then bowled Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis for one.
After Charith Asalanka was caught at backward point, Shami struck with his third ball to ensure there was no break in the action.
Then, with the next ball, Dushan Hemantha edged to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, turning 14-5 into 14-6.
After surviving the hat-trick ball, Shami quickly caught Dushmantha Chameera behind for nought. Shami then clean bowled veteran Angelo Mathews for twelve runs.
After reaching 29-8, Shami struck again, with tailender Kasun Rajitha being caught in the slips for 14, but Mahesh Theekshana and Kasun Rajitha managed to hold India at bay for a short while.
After leading Sri Lanka’s attack with five wickets in eighty overs, Jadeja removed Dilsan Madushanka to end the match.
Having lost the toss, Madushanka bowled Rohit, and Sri Lanka squandered two opportunities.
When Charith Aslanka, diving, missed a tough catch at backward point off Madushanka, Gill was on eight.
In the subsequent over, on 10, Dushmantha Chameera failed to hold onto a return catch, giving Kohli a reprieve.
Before Gill was caught behind by Madushanka, who also had Kohli taken at cover-point off a slower ball, the second-wicket combination went on the rampage.
