Picture Credit: BCCI
Ishan Kishan had a dream ODI debut. With his maiden ODI cap for India in hand on his birthday, he couldn't have asked for more. But he made the day even more special for himself with a stupendous knock of 59 runs. He had cleared his intentions from the very first ball he faced in ODI cricket and the attitude speaks about the confidence he has in him. When Ishan came to bat in the middle after India had lost Prithvi Shaw, none could have thought that the debutant would go for a maximum on the very first ball. But he did.
Everyone knew that I would hit a first-ball six
Ishan Kishan came to bat at number three and it was Dhananjay De Silva bowling to him. Kishan came charging at the bowler and clobbered it downtown. The shot reflected his confidence. Later, after the game, Kishan revealed the reason behind his first ball six. He said that he backed himself to hit a six because the pitch was batting friendly and had very little for the bowlers. Also, he had premeditated the shot. “I had already told everyone in the dressing room that I would hit a six on the first ball. Wherever the ball is, I'll hit a six. Everyone knew this. Because the odds were on my side, the pitch good, my birthday, and my first ODI match,” said Kishan.
Kishan scored a brilliant half-century off just 33 balls and also became the 16th Indian to score a half-century on debut. He went on to score 59 from 42 at a strike rate of 140.48 before he was dismissed by Lakshan Sandakan. He scored eight boundaries and two sixes in his innings. Kishan also became the player with the second-fastest fifty on his ODI debut.
Sri Lanka posted a total of 262 in their 50 overs. In reply, India chased down the total with 80 balls to spare. Prithvi Shaw was adjudged Man of the Match for his blistering knock of 43 off 24 balls. Shikhar Dhawan also scored 86 off 95 balls.