Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka, India deliver another riveting spectacle as first ODI concludes in a dramatic tie

Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first in the inaugural match of the three-game series at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Mohammed Siraj claimed the first wicket of the game, dismissing Asitha Fernando for a mere single. A promising 43-run partnership between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis was disrupted when Shivam Dube, participating in his first ODI since December 2019, secured his maiden ODI wicket.

Skipper Asalanka was dismissed for the same score as Mendis, and Nissanka, having achieved a composed 14th ODI half-century, was dismissed for 56 shortly after. Janith Liyanage and Wanindu Hasaranga, who were dismissed in their twenties, might have sensed a premature end to their innings. However, a spirited 46-run partnership off 39 balls for the eighth wicket between Dunith Wellalage and Akila Dananjaya propelled Sri Lanka to a total of 230/8.

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This represented a commendable recovery, considering they had lost half their side for a mere 101 runs by the 27th over. Spinners, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, both delivering economical spells, conceded 33 runs each within their allotted overs. Axar took two wickets, while Kuldeep secured a single wicket. 

The run-chase began with a blistering start, as Rohit Sharma took on the role of the aggressor alongside Shubman Gill. Despite a maiden over, India managed to amass 71 runs during the powerplay. However, over 11 to 16 saw India in a downward spiral, managing just 16 runs while losing three crucial wickets. This included the skipper, who became Wellalage's second victim after a breezy half-century.

KL Rahul and Axar Patel each contributed with valuable thirties but failed to build on their starts, leaving the onus on Shivam Dube to secure the victory. Dube delivered a commendable performance, striking a series of boundaries, including two sixes and a couple of fours, to get to 25.

However, his fortuitous innings came to a premature end when Asalanka trapped him leg before wicket. This dismissal ushered Arshdeep Singh to the crease, who, after facing 13 deliveries, also succumbed to the pressure, concluding a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka. Given India's position following the initial powerplay, Sri Lanka would undoubtedly regard this outcome as a significant triumph.

This was the 10th tie match that India played in their ODI history and the second one between the two sides, with the first one dating back to 2012.

Here's how X reacted to the edge-of-the-seat encounter: