Akila Dananjaya, remember the name has become a sensation overnight. After Ajantha Mendis, he becomes the second bowler to pick up four wickets against India on debut. He was getting the turn and was using his wrong ones sharply. India was cruising at 108 for no loss, chasing 231 in 47 overs. He was magical, to say the least after India won the toss and put the hosts into bat first. India had made no changes, but Sri Lanka had brought in the magician spinner, who was then an unknown entity. He reduced India to 121 for 6 at a stage and things were looking down the barrel for India. India was falling like nine pins literally.
Dananjaya was unknown to the Indian team and this must have come as a bolt from the blue for the champion team, who boast of big names. It was the wrong one that was working for him. At a stage, he picked up 5 wickets in a span of 13 balls. Here is how Twitter hailed the young mystery spinner. The hosts suddenly were looking a totally different unit altogether. He also went on to pick his sixth wicket.
One of the best spells of bowling I have seen in an ODI #Dananjaya __ #SRLvsIND
— Alex Tudor (@alextudorcoach) August 24, 2017
Srilanka & mystery bowlers, still a better love story than anyother! #IndvsSL #Dananjaya
— _ rp (@rpallav23) August 24, 2017
Wow #Dananjaya doing a Mendis…so reminiscent of 2008 AsiaCup final-Karachi when Ind were blown away in 20 mins of Mendis mystery!#SLvIND
— Emmad Hameed (@Emmad81) August 24, 2017
A lot of ppl asked whr is the successor to Herath. It seems they hv the answer now. #Dhananjaya#INDvSL #SLvIND
— LayEggBeforeWicket (@LayEgg_B4_Wkt) August 24, 2017
This D company is creating Dooms day in Indian Cricket History ! Hats off #Dhananjaya
— sanjay mishra (@CricketMishra) August 24, 2017
Shocked__
He is doing mendis here….#Dhananjaya #INDvsSL— Anand Parab (@Anand4U_) August 24, 2017
#Dhananjaya ne toofan laa dia h aj sir ji….Last hope Dhoni but partnership nhi hogi to …..____ #IndvSL
— __Archi Agarwal__ (@archi_2504) August 24, 2017
The only #srilankan who knows to play cricket is #dhananjaya now…rest all are dummy! No doubt Indians falling for him #wellbowled
— anish (@iamgraphik) August 24, 2017
India’s Akila’s heel. #SLvInd #Dhananjaya
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) August 24, 2017
#INDvsSL
I think this is overconfidence by #TeamIndia
Great performance by #SL
What a bowling by young #Dhananjaya hats off #Ind 121/6 __ pic.twitter.com/nJDF2C0iCX— Avinash Chavan (@aveenashchavan) August 24, 2017
Another one
And complete five wicket hall #dhananjaya
The boring one sided match suddenly became lively#IndvsSL— nishikant thikekar (@nishikantn) August 24, 2017
When Wrong-(un) becomes Right, Failure becomes Success. #Dhananjaya #IndvsSL
— Japani (@_juddu) August 24, 2017
As we speak, India is 138 for 7 in 24 overs. Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are at the crease. Some are calling the young mystery spinner as Rangana Herath’s replacement.
