Sri Lanka defeated India after 27 years in an ODI series when they sealed a massive 110-run win in the 3rd and final ODI at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Avishka Fernando (96 off 102) and Kusal Mendis (59 off 82) stroked fine half centuries as Sri Lanka finished on 248/7 in their 50 overs. Dunith Wellalage’s second ODI fifer led the way for the historic win.
In the chase, there was nothing much to say as the Indian batters had no answers to the spin. They were completely outplayed by Sri Lanka and bundled out to 138 in 26.1 overs.
After Asitha Fernando drew the first blood, Dunith Wellalage was the major threat for the visitors. The 21-year-old spinner claimed his second 5-wicket haul in ODIs and became first spinner to pick 5 wickets in an ODI against them twice.
Apart from them, Maheesh Theekshana and Jeffrey Vandersay also starred with a couple of wickets apiece.
The skipper Rohit Sharma was the top scorer for India with a 20-ball 35 while Washinton Sundar put up some fight down the order, scoring 30.
Earlier, Charith Asalanka won the third consecutive toss in the series and decided to bat first. Sri Lanka brought Maheesh Theekshana into the side, replacing Akila Dananjaya, and will be looking to hand him the new-ball duty.
India also made a couple of changes, with Rishabh Pant replacing KL Rahul, while Riyan Parag made his One Day International debut in place of Arshdeep Singh.
ICC elite panel match referee Ranjan Madugalle is officiating his 400th ODI match. The former Sri Lankan captain became the first person to achieve this feat.
Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando provided a fine start as Sri Lanka finished the first powerplay at 41/0. The two right-handers extended their partnership to 89 in 19.5 overs before Nissanka fell 5 runs short of his fifty to Axar Patel.
Fernando notched up his 7th ODI half-century while sharing another 82-run stand with Kusal Mendis for the second wicket. Riyan Parag broke that partnership, picking up his maiden wicket on his ODI debut.
The opener missed out on a well-deserved hundred by 4 runs as he was given out LBW after hitting 9 fours and 2 sixes in 102 balls. Once again, Sri Lanka experienced a middle-order collapse, slipping from 171/1 to 199/6.
Kamindu Mendis joined the former ODI captain as the two Mendis’s added a run-a-ball 36 for the seventh wicket before the former was dismissed in the penultimate over.
The keeper-batter hung in there when falling the wickets at the other end and provided the finishing touches with an invaluable 59 runs. Kamindu smashed an unbeaten 23 off 19 balls, helping Sri Lanka get close to the 250 mark.
The debutant Parag was impressive with the ball, picking up three crucial wickets.
Playing XI
Sri Lanka – Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (w), Sadeera
Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (C), Janith Liyanage, Dunith
Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Jefferey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
India – Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (w),
Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj
