Sensational Rohit Sharma scored the highest ever individual score in ODI cricket and became the first player to score two double centuries in 50-over internationals with his breath-taking 264 against Sri Lanka as India won the 4th match by 153 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The sensational innings in Kolkata, admittedly a ground that favours batsmen, came off 173 balls with 33 fours and 9 sixes and it ended on the last ball of India’s innings as Sharma holed out in the deep as India posted 404/5 in 50 overs. His score raced past the previous best of 219 that compatriot Virender Sehwag set against West Indies in 2011. This was the 5th instance India passed the 400-run mark. Sri Lanka in their reply were bowled out in the 44th over for 251 runs and in the funny side of thing, Rohit Sharma defeated Sri Lanka by 13 runs. Skipper Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne struck half-centuries in an unsuccessful run chase.
Earlier in the day, India won the toss and elected to bat first on a belter of a pitch. Both teams made 4 changes each to their playing XIs. India started off slowly with the Lankan bowlers being disciplined early on. Rohit Sharma was dropped on 4 by Thisara Perera at third man when Shaminda Eranga had extracted a thick outside edge in the 5th over but no one ever thought Thisara’s dropped catch would become the costliest drop ever in ODI cricket.
India lost Rahane in the 8th over when he was trapped LBW and four overs later, Ambati Rayudu was castled by Shaminda Eranga. Rohit’s progress to 50 was relatively pedestrian, consuming 72 balls but from that point he unleashed an array of shots which destroyed the tourists’ bowling attack. His acceleration from 100 to 250 was phenomenal, taking just 66 deliveries.
Skipper Virat Kohli and all the other batsmen were mere spectators of one of the most perfectly-decorated ODI innings ever. Coming into this match, Sharma had scored 142 for India ‘A’ in a warm-up against the Sri Lankans – his last knock before that was in August against England in Cardiff where he injured his hand. He and Virat stroked 202 runs for the 3rd wicket with Kohli contributing only 66 runs while Robin Uthappa made only 16 runs during the 128-run partnership for the 5th wicket, which came in 58 deliveries.
All the Lankan bowlers were taken to the cleaners and proved totally mediocre on a flat track.
Skipper Angelo Mathews was the only bowler to keep his economy rate below 6 and he took 2 wickets as well. Newly-arrived Ajantha Mendis went for 70 runs in his 7 overs which disappointed many. The Lankan fielding was pitiable once again as they dropped 4 chances which were sitters.
Chasing a massive target of 405 runs at an asking rate of 8.10, the visitors lost Kusal Janith Perera in the first over for the 3rd consecutive time in the series when he skied an Umesh Yadav delivery while attempting a rash pull shot. TM Dilshan looked comfortable putting away the loose deliveries to the fence as he displayed few lashes of his 160 in Rajkot, 4 years ago when Sri Lanka nearly chased down 414. One drop batsman Dinesh Chandimal was the 2nd wicket to fall when he chipped a drive straight to Suresh Raina, stationed at short extra-cover for 9 off Stuart Binny.
Experienced Mahela Jayawardene could not musters a restoration to the innings as he was trapped in front of the stumps for 2 by the in-form seamer Umesh Yadav. Stuart Binny struck for the 2nd time when he got the prized wicket of TM Dilshan after he made a whirlwind 34 in 33 balls with 6 fours. Sri Lanka was 48 for 4 at the end of mandatory fielding restriction overs.
Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne batted patiently to put some runs on the board with the chase of 405 long gone. Both batsmen scored off the spinners using their feet to get closer to the ball. Angelo Mathews missed out on another opportunity to score his 1st ODI ton when he was stumped by Robin Uthappa off Akshar Patel after a well-made 75 in 68 balls.
Thisara Perera came in and tried to compensate his dropped chance by smashing the debutant, leg spinner Karn Sharma for 23 but soon fell during the batting power play which became a nightmare for the visitors once again. Four wickets fell in the 5-over period between 36-40 overs and all the wickets including Lahiru Thirimanne’s scalp were taken by rookie seamer Dhawal Kulkarni. Sri Lanka was eventually bowled out for 251 with 41 balls remaining.
India now leads the 5-match ODI series, 4-0 with the final ODI scheduled on 16th of November in Ranchi. The hosts will go all-guns blazing to whitewash their neighbours while the visiting Lankans will no doubt play for pride and avoid a clean-up.
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