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The atmosphere was charged during the third ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, as Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj and Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis were involved in a heated verbal exchange.
In the 39th over, Siraj delivered a ball that kept a bit low on the off-side, but Mendis managed to get some bat on it, resulting in no runs. After the delivery, Siraj took a few steps toward Mendis, leading to a verbal exchange between the two.
The Sri Lankan team has delivered a solid performance in the 50-over series against India and currently holds the series lead after winning their last match.
India will aim to deliver a top-notch batting performance to level the series. However, the Sri Lankan bowlers, especially the spinners, have posed a significant challenge.
In the previous match, Jeffrey Vandersay was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s victory, claiming six wickets in the second innings. With the series hanging in the balance, Rohit Sharma’s team will be looking to overcome the Lankan spinners and secure a win.
Rohit Sharma has been in good form with the bat, providing solid starts for the Indian team in the previous two matches. However, the rest of the batting lineup has struggled to make crucial contributions.
As a result, India has given an ODI debut to Riyan Parag, who has already made a mark with a strong performance in the first innings today. Parag claimed three key wickets, including those of Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, and Dunith Wellalage. The young Indian hopes to further contribute with the bat if required, helping his team chase down the target of 249 runs set by Sri Lanka.
