Dilshan Madushanka, the 21-year-old left-arm pacer from Hambantota, had the best moment of his short 4-T20I career when he castled former India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday in Dubai.
Kohli had shown promising signs of being back in the form in the previous three Asia Cup 2022 matches – with scores of 35, 59*, and 60 – and now only needed some more consistency to back it up, failed to do so today – as he bagged a four-ball duck against the Lankans to leave India tottering at 13/2 – after KL Rahul had been out lbw to Maheesh Theekshana – in what is virtually a must-win encounter.
Virat Kohli fails to open his account vs Sri Lanka
Over the past 14 years, Kohli has been merciless and dominant over Sri Lanka across formats – he averaged 62 against them with 13 centuries – but today he barely connected anything from the middle of the bat, and his innings ended with an ugly swipe that only cut air.
After bowling a tight first over for only 4 runs, newbie to international cricket, Madushanka had his tail up against Kohli, to whom he bowled two back-of-length deliveries that the batter couldn’t put away.
Under the pressure of three straight dots, Kohli decided to attack the left-arm seamer – it didn’t result well for him, nor his stumps, the off- and middle-stump then lay flat on the ground after he missed his wild swing across the line to an in-swinging delivery that shaped in from length.
Madushanka, who will turn 22 in less than two weeks, had his aeroplane celebration out as he ran around screaming at the top of his voice. Kohli, dejected, dismissed, walked back with his head down. Sri Lankans in the field and in the stands were jubilant – for a batsman who had troubled them all these years couldn’t open his account today.
Indians in the ground and on social media were stunned as Virat Kohli departed for a 4-ball duck:
Most Ducks for India
43 – Zaheer
40 – Ishant
37 – Harbhajan
35 – Kumble
34 – Sachin
33 – Kohli*#INDvsSL— CricBeat (@Cric_beat) September 6, 2022
Virat Kohli registered his first ever duck in Asia Cup history.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 6, 2022
I see that Kohli Sahab has gotten out to another newcomer, keeping up with long-standing tradition.#SLvInd #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/xvbKNNziYU
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) September 6, 2022
Kohli’s Duck 😱
King Kohli the academy man is back, good days for academy ahead 🔥😍 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/NRoUKWzN3d— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) September 6, 2022
My self control in India matches helping me a lot 🙂
Otherwise losing everygame by believing Rahul,Rohit,Kohli #IndvsSl
— Venkatesh (@D11_Venkydhoni) September 6, 2022
Virat Kohli in all T20s since 2020
Left-arm pace: 26 Avg/122 SR
Right-arm pace: 37 Avg/142 SR#INDvSL #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/tHrPDybmVE— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) September 6, 2022
I hope every former cricketer texts Kohli today, and not just Thala sahab..man needs it..#INDvsSL
— Jatin Khandelwal (@jr_khandelwal) September 6, 2022
83 inns without an International century for Kohli, last Int’l century was against Bangladesh without Shakib & Mustafizur, in India on 23rd November 2019. Kohli’s 33rd duck in Int’l cricket. Kohli’s last 50-plus score in Internationals v Sri Lanka was in December 2017. #Cricket
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) September 6, 2022
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