During the second ODI of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj reached a notable achievement. He has become the fourth Indian bowler to attain this significant milestone with the new ball in One Day Internationals.
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka chose to bat first after winning the toss at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, August 4. The Sri Lankan team made two adjustments to their playing XI, bringing in Kamindu Mendis and Jeffrey Vandersay. India retained the same lineup as in the previous match.
Mohammed Siraj Joins Elite List Of Indian Bowlers
Mohammed Siraj made an impactful start for his team by taking a wicket on the very first ball of the match, dismissing Pathum Nissanka. Siraj delivered an outswinger that caught the edge of Nissanka’s bat, and Rahul took a clean catch, sending Nissanka back for a golden duck.
With this achievement, the 30-year-old pacer entered an exclusive group that includes D. Mohanty, Zaheer Khan, and Praveen Kumar. Siraj became the fourth Indian bowler to secure a wicket on the opening delivery of an ODI. Remarkably, Zaheer Khan has accomplished this feat four times in his career.
| Bowler | Opponent | Year | Batsman |
|---|---|---|---|
| D Mohanty | West Indies | 1999 | Ridley Jacobs |
| Zaheer Khan | New Zealand | 2001 | Mathew Sinclair |
| Zaheer Khan | Sri Lanka | 2002 | Sanath Jayasuriya |
| Zaheer Khan | Australia | 2007 | Michael Clarke |
| Zaheer Khan | Sri Lanka | 2009 | Upul Tharanga |
| Praveen Kumar | Sri Lanka | 2010 | Upul Tharanga |
| Mohammed Siraj | Sri Lanka | 2024 | Pathum Nissanka |
However, Mohammed Siraj failed to take any further wickets in his first spell. The right-arm pacer conceded 16 runs in his five overs during the powerplay. Sri Lankan top-order batters Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando guided the team to avoid losing any further wickets in the first 10 overs of the match.
The First ODI Between India And Sri Lanka Ended In A Tie
The first ODI of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka concluded in a tie at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, August 2. Sri Lanka set a challenging total of 230 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 50 overs, having scored 142 runs in the first 34.2 overs.
Dunith Wellalage was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, contributing 67 runs from 65 balls, including seven boundaries and two sixes. Pathum Nissanka added 56 runs off 75 balls, with nine fours. For India, Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel each claimed two wickets, limiting the Sri Lankan side to 230 runs.
In response, India started strong, with skipper Rohit Sharma taking advantage of the field restrictions to score 58 runs off 47 balls, featuring seven boundaries and three sixes. Despite the promising start, India lost wickets at regular intervals and fell short by just one run, resulting in a tie.
