Ind vs SL: Our aim was to play till the last over, says Bhuvneshwar on partnership with Chahar
Jul 21, 2021
Colombo [Sri Lanka], July 21 : After stitching a match-winning partnership with Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar stated that the duo's aim was just to take the match till the last over against Sri Lanka.
Chahar (69*) smashed a gusty fifty and shared an unbeaten 84-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (19*) to take India home after the visitors were reduced to 193/7 in the second ODI. India were down and almost out in their chase but Chahar made sure India get home in the final over.
"Our aim was to play till the last over. We want to take it as deep as possible so we can score runs. There was not much planning, the only plan we had is to play till the last. The way Deepak batted was amazing," Bhuvneshwar Kumar Told ANI in a post-match conference organised by BCCI.
India needed 16 runs to win in the last three overs and the duo ensured the visitors do not lose any wickets and then guided the Shikhar Dhawan-led side to win with five balls to spare. With this victory, India have taken an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Batting first, Sri Lanka was on 194/6 in the 40th over when Charith Asalanka revived the hosts' innings. Asalanka's fighting fifty kept Sri Lanka ticking the scoreboard as the hosts reached 244 before he got out.
In the last two overs, Sri Lanka scored 23 runs to reach 275 despite losing two wickets in the final six balls.
This win is also the first time India have successfully chased down a target of 250+ without any of the top three scoring 50+ since beating Zimbabwe in Auckland in WC 2015, chasing 288.
