2nd ODI: Dhoni-Bhuvenshwar resilience takes India home; Dananjaya's six-for goes in vain

Kandy, Aug 24: Young Sri Lankan spinner Akila Dananjaya produced a memorable six-wicket spell before Mahendra Singh Dhoni's experience and composure took the visitors home in the second one-day international match here on Thursday (August 24).

MS Dhoni (45 off 68) along with tailender Bhuvneshwar Kumar (53 off 80) stitched an unbeaten 100-run partnership for the eighth wicket and India won the game by 3 wickets after a rare batting collapse.

Match Scorecard" title="MS Dhoni gets 99th stumping victim; Match Scorecard" />MS Dhoni gets 99th stumping victim; Match Scorecard

The visitors have now taken 2-0 lead in the 5-match series and the way they snatched a victory out of Sri Lanka's clutches would only give them confidence.

It was 23-year-old Dananjaya infused life in what was termed as a one-sided encounter with his stunning bowling effort of 6/54. He grabbed the wickets of Rohit Sharma (54), Kedar Jadhav (1), Virat Kohli (4), KL Rahul (4), Hardik Pandya (0) and Axar Patel (6) in his spell to bring Indians on the floor. India lost the wickets of Jadhav, Kohli and Rahul in Dananjaya's single over and all three were bowled as they failed to read his googly.

Well done boys congratulations 👌👌✌✌✌@bcci @ICC @ICCLive @ESPNIndia

— Mohammed Shami (@MdShami11) August 24, 2017

From 109/1 at one stage India slumped to 131/7, thanks to a memorable bowling effort from the 23-year-old left-arm spinner. But Dhoni showed his composure and ensured Bhuvneshwar stays there with him till the end. Bhuvneshwar scored his maiden ODI fifty in the second century stand in the Indian innings.

Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma came out to chase the revised target of 231 in 47 overs against Sri Lanka and gave hosts a solid start.

The duo put up a partnership of 109 runs for the first wicket in the run chase and the visitors looked to cruise towards an easy win. But Rohit's dismissal in the 16th over triggered a rare batting collapse as India lost 7 wickets in a matter of just 22 runs.

A 100 runs first wicket partnership b/w Rohit-Dhawan...a 100 runs final partnership b/w Dhoni-Bhuvi. Mayhem in between. Love this game.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 24, 2017

Earlier, middle-order batsman Milinda Siriwardana slammed a brilliant half-century as Sri Lanka set a target of 237 for India to chase. But that target was later reset to 231.

Siriwardana (58) scored his career's third ODI half-century and stitched crucial partnership of 91-runs with Chamara Kapugedara (40) for the sixth wicket and took the hosts to 236/8 in the stipulated 50 after they were invited to bat first.

The pair of Siriwardana and Kapugedara stitched the highest partnership for the Lankans in the match as they resisted Indian bowlers and added runs quickly.

Sri Lanka once again got off to a good start as openers Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka played aggressively in the first power-play. But India's strike pacer Jasprit Bumrah got rid of dangerous looking Dickwella for 31 to give hosts their first jolt.

Bumrah returned with the figures of 2/43 (10-2-43-4) as Indians restricted the hosts to yet another below-par score on a track which looks conducive of batting.

The pacer got ample support from spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (10-1-43-2) and Axar Patel (10-0-30-1) as they kept things tight for the hosts in the middle overs. Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled exceptionally well in the death overs to ensure the visitors have a low total to chase.

Making a comeback to the side, Siriwardana scored a valiant half-century before he was dismissed for 58 by Bumrah in the 46th over. The batsman was deceived with the slower one and gave a simple catch to Rohit Sharma.

Axar Patel got his first wicket of the match by trapping the big man Angelo Mathews in front of the stumps. Mathews scored 20 before getting dismissed in the 29th over.

Kusal Mendis was the fourth Sri Lankan wicket to fall and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal got his second victim of the match as he trapped Kusal Mendis in front. Mendis perished at 19 attempting his favourite sweep shot.

Mendis immediately went upstairs to review his dismissal and eventually ate up the only DRS available for his team.

Hardik Pandya got rid of Sri Lankan captain Upul Tharanga cheaply for 9 as the bowler got him caught at slip cordon by Virat Kohli. Tharanga was the third wicket to perish.

Opener Danushka Gunathilaka was Chahal's first prey. The opener was stumped by MS Dhoni, who claimed his career's 99th ODI stumpings, for 19.

Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli won his fifth consecutive toss on the tour and elected to chase. The Men in Blue fielded the same playing XI that came out to play in the first ODI and registered a convincing nine-wicket win against hosts.