Sunday saw dynamic centuries from Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill pushing India to a 390 run score on a seemingly lifeless track before the ball started encircling around under lights. Mohammed Siraj took four wickets of Test quality and Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav supported him with two each as a contribution to Sri Lanka bowled out for 73. India’s victory margin of 317 runs was comfortably the biggest in ODI history, beating New Zealand’s previous record of 290 runs against team Ireland.
The change in the conditions was dramatic but alright, as the difference in quality of the two sides was no less extreme. India challenged themselves by choosing to bat first to set an above-par total and then defend Sri Lankans in dewy conditions. As it turned out according to the expectations, the match hardly lasted long enough for dew to become a factor along with Sri Lanka bowled out in 22 overs for 73 runs.
India made two changes in the playing XI Hardik Pandya and Umran Malik made way for Suryakumar Yadav and Washington Sundar.
Scores of India in the 3rd ODI were 390/5 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 166 not out, Shubman Gill 116 and Kasun Rajitha with 2/81) whereas Sri Lanka 73 all out in 22 overs ( Nuwanidu Fernando 19 and Mohammed Siraj with 4/32 )
Earlier, KL Rahul showed some glimpses of his form with a determined half-century as he powered India to a hard-earned four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second ODI. Rahul scored an unbeaten 64 off 103 balls on a difficult track as India chased down a difficult target of 216 runs in 43.2 overs. The second highest score for India was vice-captain Hardik Pandya’s; 36 runs. Sri Lanka were all out for 215 in 39.4 overs with debutant Nuwanido Fernando scoring 50 runs.
Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav were the most successful bowlers for the team.
Scores of the 2nd ODI for Sri Lanka were 215 all out in 39.4 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 50, Kusal Mendis 34; Kuldeep Yadav with 3/51 and Mohammed Siraj with 3/30) whereas India having 219/6 in 43.2 overs (KL Rahul 64 not out and Lahiru Kumara 2/64, Chamika Karunaratne 2/51).
The 1st ODI of the India vs Sri Lanka series witnessed an authoritative Virat Kohli headlining India’s dominant performance with his 45th ODI hundred as the hosts defeated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first of the three-match series on 10th January. Asked to bat first, India rode former skipper Kohli’s 87-ball 113 runs and fluent half-centuries from his successors Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to boost up an imposing 373 for seven wickets in their allotted quota of overs on a batting-friendly pitch. In reply, the Sri Lankans were never in the hunt and ended at 306 for eight in the 50 overs allotted to them to hand the hosts a 1-0 lead and eventually the whole series.
