India‘s Kuldeep Yadav reached yet another milestone on Thursday (January 12) after scalping three wickets in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. Playing at the Eden Gardens, Kuldeep came into the match to replace injured Yuzvendra Chahal who was not available for the second ODI. Kuldeep did not put a foot wrong as he ended with three wickets in his spell in the match.
Kuldeep Yadav reaches 200 international wickets
Kuldeep’s inclusion in the match was a surprise inclusion after Chahal was not available with niggle. Before the start of the match, the 28-year-old was on 197 international wickets and needed three wickets to reach the tally of 200 wickets. On the second ball of the 25th over of the match, Kuldeep scalped Charith Asalanka on his bowling and reached the milestone. He ended with figures of 51/3 from 10 overs and was India’s highest wicket-taker in the match.
The right-arm spinner now has 122 ODI wickets along with 34 Test wickets and 44 T20I wickets to his name. He was recently recalled into the Indian team after 22 months in the Test format and will now look to claim a place in the ODI side especially when the ODI World Cup is now getting closer.
India wrap SL for 215
Kuldeep (3/51) answered the call grabbing three wickets in his first five overs, in a spell that triggered Sri Lankan collapse from being 102/1 just when it seemed that debutant Nuwanidu Fernando (50 from 63 balls) and Kusal Mendis (34 from 34 balls)had started to frustrate Indian bowlers post Powerplay with a swift counter-attack.
But as Kuldeep ran through the Sri Lankan middle-order that included the prized-scalp of rival skipper Dasun Shanaka (2), the visitors went on to lose five wickets in the space of 43 balls to virtually lose the plot after they opted to bat on a flat deck.
But some late fireworks by Dunith Wellalage (32) and Wanindu Hasaranga (21) took the team past 200-run mark before Siraj (5.4-0-30-3) polished off the tail. Young Umran Malik also returned with figures of 2/48 from his seven overs.
