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3rd ODI: Riyan Picks Three On Debut As Fernando, Mendis Fifties Carry Sri Lanka To 248/7
Electing to bat first on a dry pitch, captain Charith Asalanka had wished to see a century coming from any of his batters. Avishka almost fulfilled that wish by making a fluent 96 off 102 balls, laced with nine fours and two sixes. But he fell four runs short of a century to become the first ODI wicket of an impressive Riyan.
With Riyan picking two more wickets by mixing his off-break and leg-break deliveries well, India clawed back to reduce Sri Lanka to 199/6 in 43.3 overs. But Mendis stepped up by hitting four boundaries in his 82-ball 53 at the fag end of the innings, as Sri Lanka hit 31 runs in the last three overs, an aspect which could be a game-defining one, considering spinners have got a lot of assistance –- mainly turn -- in the second innings.
