Sri Lanka vs India: Krunal Pandya hugs Charith Asalanka after fielding the ball

Contrary to expectations, Sri Lankan batsmen put up an impressive show in the first ODI against India. Electing to bat first at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the home team posted a competitive total of 262/9. Most of the players got good starts as Indian bowlers had to work hard. In fact, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya leaked runs at an economy rate of over six.

While some big names were taken to cleaners, left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya bowled an exceptional spell. He kept the Lankan batters on their heels with his tight and accurate bowling. Runs weren’t easy to come by when Pandya operated and hence, the home team had to take chance against other bowlers. Overall, the senior Pandya gave away just 26 runs in his quota of 10 overs and also took a crucial wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva.

Krunal Pandya puts up sportsmanship act

Besides his spectacular bowling display, Krunal is also receiving praises for his sportsmanship act. During the 22nd over the innings, the left-arm spinner bowled a full-length delivery which Dhananjaya de Silva played back to the bowler. In order to collect the ball, Krunal moved towards the non-striker Charith Asalanka.

Upholding the Spirit of Cricket! 😌
Lovely gesture by Krunal 👏🏽

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After getting up from the ground, the 30-year-old, for some reason, ended up hugging Asalanka. Fans were amused seeing Pandya’s act and social media got flooded with praises. Notably, the star all-rounder’s aggressive behavior has come under the scanner of many occasions. However, Krunal hogged the limelight this time for the entirely opposite reason.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has given themselves a strong chance by position a decent total on the board. Fast bowlers likes Isuru Udana and Dushmantha Chameera have proven their mettle at the highest level and they would be determined to pick up wickets at regular intervals. Moreover, there’s not much experience in this batting line-up.

In fact, Team India has two debutants in the top six in Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. Hence, skipper and opener Shikhar Dhawan has to perform from the front. Krunal’s batting prowess might also be tested in the game and the southpaw must be ready to embrace the challenge.

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