Sri Lankan leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay recently made headlines with his match-turning six-wicket haul against India in the second ODI of the ongoing three-match series. Following India’s clean sweep in the T20 series, the ODIs have proven more competitive, with the first match ending in a draw.
In the second ODI, Sri Lanka successfully defended their 241-run target, dismissing India for 208 in 42.2 overs. Vandersay, the 34-year-old spinner, played a pivotal role in this victory, finishing with remarkable figures of 10-0-33-6 at an economy of 3.3.
‘There was a lot of pressure coming into the side’ – Jeffrey Vandersay
Vandersay’s precise deliveries dismantled India’s top order. He first claimed the wicket of a dangerous Rohit Sharma, who was on 64 runs, and then proceeded to take down Shubman Gill and Shivam Dubey in the 18th over. His next major scalp was Virat Kohli, whom he dismissed for 14 in the 20th over. Vandersay continued his assault by removing KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, further crippling India’s chase.
At the post-match presentation, where he was awarded Player of the Match, Vandersay credited the Sri Lankan batters for setting a challenging total and acknowledged that Rohit Sharma’s wicket boosted his confidence. “There was a lot of pressure coming into the side. I am coming out of a layoff. I had to do something and it is easier to take credit. I want to give credit to the batters as well. They put on 240 runs and that helped me to bowl in good areas. Hasaranga is our No. 1 spinner. I got to understand the atmosphere of the team and team balance. I have to keep pushing myself. There was assistance on the wicket, I was trying to hit the good areas. Once I got my first wicket, that built up my confidence. Fortunately, I was able to take six wickets,” said Vandersay.
With this victory, Sri Lanka has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and will aim to clinch the series in the final match on Wednesday, August 7, at the same venue.
