India humiliate Sri Lanka to complete whitewash

World no.1 ranked India completed their maiden 3-0 clean sweep away from home beating sorry Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third and final Test match in Pallekelle.

Coming into this match, India had beaten the hosts by 304 runs in Galle and by an innings and 53 runs in Colombo. This is also Sri Lanka’s first whitewash at home in a three-match Test series since losing to Australia in 2004 and the 7th time in the history of Tests that a home team has been whitewashed at home in a 3-match series.

Read – Day 2 Report: Sri Lanka face whitewash after another batting collapse

The hosts resumed day three on 19 for 1 with 333 runs behind in their 2^nd innings. Ravichandran Ashwin struck in his first over, third in the morning with a peach of a delivery which spun sharply and took the shoulder of Dimuth Karunaratne’s bat and flew to first slip.

The night watchman, Malinda Pushpakumara was caught behind by Mohammed Shami while the in-form Kusal Mendis was caught plumb in front by Shami, India’s leading seam bowler who troubled all the batsmen in a hostile spell in the morning session.

Photo Album – Sri Lanka vs India 2017 – 3rd Test Day 3

After being 39 for 4, skipper Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews delayed the inevitable with a resilient 65-run stand for the 5^th wicket. Chandimal’s inability to play spin off the backward brought his downfall when he tried to glance Kuldeep off the pads but was able only to lob a simple catch to short-leg.

Mathews hit the only six for Sri Lanka in the entire game when clobbered Kuldeep Yadav down the ground but fell attempting a sweep off Ashwin’s full delivery while Dilruwan Perera insensibly slog-swept Ashwin straight to mid-wicket as the hosts slumped further.

Watch – Chandimal’s captaincy tactics were questionable – Cricketry: Day 02

Niroshan Dickwella did what he knows the best, sweep the spinners. He top-scored for the home team in his first international match in his home town to give some respect to the team score but fell to Umesh Yadav in search of a half-century before Ashwin, India’s pick of the bowlers ended the game castling Lahiru Kumara before the tea break.

Earlier in the match, Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya slammed whirlwind centuries to propel India to 487. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 135 runs in 37.4 overs due to some poor batting and excellent bowling by the Indians which prompted Virat Kohli to enforce the follow-on and ultimately end the match inside 3 days.

Man of the Match – Hardik Pandya
Man of the Series – Shikhar Dhawan