Dunith Wellalage, the left-arm spinner from Sri Lanka, has achieved a remarkable feat, joining an elite group of bowlers who have claimed multiple five-wicket hauls against India. His recent 5/27 in the final ODI match of the series against India in Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium on August 7th, 2024, marked his second five-wicket haul against the Asian giants. He previously achieved this feat on September 12th, 2023, claiming 5/40 in the same venue. This achievement places Wellalage among a select few bowlers who have consistently troubled the Indian batting order.
Wellalage now shares this distinction with six other bowlers, including the legendary Australian pacer Brett Lee, who holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls against India with an impressive four. Other prominent bowlers in this list include Pakistani all-rounder Aaqib Javed and Bangladesh’s pacer Mustafizur Rahman, each with three five-wicket hauls against India.
This achievement further cements Wellalage’s reputation as a formidable spin bowler and adds another chapter to the ever-evolving story of the India-Sri Lanka rivalry. It’s a testament to his exceptional skills and ability to consistently deliver under pressure against a strong Indian batting lineup.
Beyond Wellalage’s achievement, the recent ODI series between India and Sri Lanka has produced a plethora of interesting statistical records. These include the unfortunate instance of Indian top-order batters getting dismissed for ducks in consecutive innings and the remarkable fact that India, despite having been involved in six tied T20I matches, has never lost a tie-breaker. The series also saw Rohit Sharma surpassing Eoin Morgan’s record for most sixes hit by a captain in international cricket.
Sri Lanka’s dominance in the series, which saw them secure a 2-0 victory, marked an end to India’s impressive unbeaten streak in ODI series against Sri Lanka spanning over 26 years. This victory also highlighted the strength of Sri Lanka’s spin attack, which claimed a record 27 wickets in the series, the most by any team’s spinners in a bilateral ODI series of four matches or fewer. The combined spin bowling effort of both sides in the series also created a new record, with a total of 43 wickets claimed, surpassing the previous record held by Bangladesh and Pakistan. These statistical achievements underline the impact of spin bowling in this recent ODI series and underscore the exciting developments unfolding in the world of cricket.
