Waking out today towards the stadium, Team India would have felt that they wouldn’t have to do much to thrash Sri Lanka. But it all turned out to be a great mess out of overconfidence later.
Image Source:Twitter
After winning the toss and putting India to bat the visitors came out as elements of surprise and gave India a nightmare they would want to forget to the earliest.
After getting jitters one after the other it seemed like India would surpass its record of lowest total of 54. Lakmal and Mathews bowled dream spells and Indian batsmen struggled to even get into double figures. For Shreyas Iyer too it was a debut he would have never imagined. Sri Lanka was on top of the hosts right through the Indian batting.
India could only manage 112 and frankly this is more than twice of what it initially looked like. At one point in time it wasn’t even sure if India would go beyond 50. But MS Dhoni showed what experience is and what determination is.
Mahi was the only Indian batsman who could decode the Sri Lanka challenge today and he went on to score 65 which much higher than the total of runs of batsmen who walked out to bat before him. At one point in time India was 29/7 and to get 112 from there was still a miracle.
Today India made the strange record of having scored the least runs in power play 1. Dinesh Karthik too created a record of taking maximum deliveries to get out for a duck.
The Sri Lankan challenge came up as the being very contrary to what India would have expected. This wasn’t the captaincy outing Rohit Sharma would have imagined. Lakmal was the pick of the bowlers who picked up 4 wickets and left India hopping.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to this poor show of batting by India. India certainly missed Kohli.
MS Dhoni scores 65, ?? score 112!
Who can do an MSD with the ball for India? The chase is coming up, on Star Sports! Paytm #INDvSL
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 10, 2017
One man standing tall & gets to yet another valuable half century. @msdhoni in full flow at the moment #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/0SVWHkB4EU
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 10, 2017
If you still question why MS Dhoni is in India’s ODI plans… watch this Dharamsala knock in the knowledge that 2019 World Cup is in early half of English summer. The man knows how to bat across different conditions with different partners. Irreplaceable! #IndvSL
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) December 10, 2017
About time India get Dhoni upto 4 then? At least till 2019 WC. Got enough proof when team’s under pressure that who’s more than equipped to do the job. #INDvSL
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 10, 2017
MS Dhoni played a vital knock of 65(87) to salvage team India’s pride. #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/wKwkHqdO27
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) December 10, 2017
India 112 All Out
MS Dhoni 65
Other 10 Players+Wides+No Balls+Leg Byes = 47No One Silences His Critics And Haters Every Time Like #MSDhoni Does. ????#Dhoni #INDvSL #INDvsSL
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 10, 2017
When Life Gives You MS, Make It #Dhoni Not Aiyar. ???? #MSDhoni MS Dhoni #INDvSL #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/3dUgI7z2Lh
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/939788399203852293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crictracker.com%2Ftwitter-reactions-india-skittle-for-112-ms-dhoni-hits-65%2F
And MS Dhoni every time you question his place in the ODI side. 2019 WC, minimum. #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/oXutpUhzJb
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 10, 2017
MS Dhoni Is So Selfish, Got Out After Scoring A Fifty. #Dhoni Must Resign.
Anyone? Nhi Bol Lo Thoda Attention Mil Jayega, Publicity Bhi Mil Jayegi. ? #MSDhoni #INDvSL #INDvsSL
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 10, 2017
What if we come back defending this total? Of course India is capable of it. #INDvSL
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) December 10, 2017
Let’s put it this way. Wherever this game heads to from here doesn’t matter. MS Dhoni just stood and delivered to save the blushes and gave something for the team to fight for. #IndvSL
— Prabhu (@Cricprabhu) December 10, 2017
MS Dhoni turned out to be the saviour yet again. #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/L4enawyKeQ
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) December 10, 2017
India: 112 all-out.
MS Dhoni – 65
Rest + extras – 47 #INDvSL— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 10, 2017
Dhoni being very Dhoni today. 65 in a total of 112 is a brilliant effort. Remember India at one stage were 16-5. That’s a good comeback. #IndvSL
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) December 10, 2017
Lowest total defended by India (50 over ODIs):
105 v Ban, Dhaka, 2014 — Although this was an ODI reduced by rain
125 v Pak, Sharjah, 1985
162 v NZ, Perth, 1980
162 v WI, Kuala Lumpur, 2006
167 v Pak, Delhi, 2013— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 10, 2017
Dhoni haters before the match-
“Dhoni should retire & make way for youngsters!”
Right now-
“Thank god Dhoni is there!”#INDvSL
— Captain (@iEatCricket) December 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/ABChoudhary007/status/939761324480913409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crictracker.com%2Ftwitter-reactions-india-skittle-for-112-ms-dhoni-hits-65%2F
Sources say BCCI is ready to airlift Virat Kohli from Italy. #INDvSL
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) December 10, 2017
Dhoni fans right now #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/5rb8OugQqQ
— RS (@AwaraRish) December 10, 2017
SL seamers forcing Indian batsmen to play virtually every delivery is also one reason why India is in dire straits. Well done SL! ???#IndvSL
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 10, 2017
Taking no credit away from the #SL seamers they have been Fantastic all morning, discipline and consistency being hallmarks ???? #INDvSL
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) December 10, 2017
