India vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI: India win by 3 wickets, Virat Kohli slams a century
Ranchi: Ranchi: India defeated Sri Lanka by 3 wickets on Sunday to whitewash the ODI series. Though India suffered a blow with quick wickets, Virat Kohli managed to save the game for his team with some great strokes.
Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews led from the front with his maiden century in limited overs as Sri Lanka scored 286 for eight in 50 overs against India.
Here is the live cricket score: Sri Lanka 286/8 in 50 overs vs India 288/7 in 48.1 overs
India innings
Angelo Mathews gives Sri Lanka their first breakthrough; bowls Rahane for just. Rayudu comes in at 3. India lost their first wicket in the third over. Mathews gets another one; bowls Rohit this time.
Sri Lanka keeping things tight in Ranchi. India 34 for 2 after 10 overs. Virat Kohli strikes his 34th ODI 50 and 11th against Sri Lanka.
5th ODI 50 for Ambati Rayadu in the 26th over. After looking firm, Rayadu was run out for 59 off 69 balls. Robin Uthappa gets bowled out by Mendis at 19.
India lose Jadhav at 18. India looking under control are not worried about going after the bowling in the Powerplay.
Runs are coming and the required rate is still under control. For Sri Lanka, they need to find a way through Kohli to introduce some panic.
Kohli slams his 21st ODI 100. Ashwin out for a duck.
India wins by 3 wickets.
Sri Lanka lost their opener Dickwell in the fourth over. Rayudu took a terrific catch giving Kulkarni his first wicket in the form of Dickwell (4). Meanwhile, Dilshan was out for 35 runs courtesy Stuart Binny.
After two early wickets by pacers, Axar removed Chandimal and Ashwin got the big wicket of Mahela as Sri Lanka struggled.
Axar dismissed Chandimal who made 5 runs off 17 balls. Meanwhile, Jayawardene was out for 32.
Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne stabilized the Lankans. The 128-run partnership of Mathews and Thirimanne came to an end after Ashwin sent back Thirimanne for 52.
Mathews scored his maiden ODI century.
It was a good last over for Kulkarni, who scalped two wickets - Prassanna and Mendis.
Tottering at 85 for 4 in 18.3 overs, Mathews arrested the slide and ensured that show some will to fight for the first time in their most forgettable two-week sojourn here as his entertaining knock 139 from 116 balls had 10 big sixes apart from six boundaries. In fact he scored 84 runs in boundaries with only 16 scoring strokes.
With their senior batsmen coming cropper yet another time, Mathews found a perfect ally in his deputy Lahiru Thirimanne (52 from 76 balls; 2x4, 1x6) in their 128 runs partnership that revived Lanka's hope to return home with some pride.
Mathews started to break loose, when he hit Karn Sharma for a six over extra cover to complete his half-century from 76 balls. The Indian bowlers suddenly looked lacklustre with Mathews hitting lusty blows and in one over the Lankan captain hit part-time bowler Ambati Rayudu for two sixes and a four as their partnership crossed 100-mark in just 134 balls.
Firing in all cylinders, Mathews second 50 came in no time as he took just 26 balls to race to his first ODI century, surpassing his previous best of 92 (against Pakistan in August).
But Mathews was left stranded at the non-striker's end as Dhawal Kulkarni bowled a fine last over in which he claimed two wickets and gave away four runs that included two wides that meant the visitors were restricted under 300.
Kulkarni was expensive but was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 3/57 while Axar Patel (2/45) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/56) took two apiece. Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan produced a quickfire 24-ball 35 as Sri Lanka had raced to 32/1 in 4.4 overs after opting to bat only to fritter away the start.
Dilshan, who punished Kulkarni for three boundaries in the very first over, made his intentions clear at the onset. But the lack of application from his partner Niroshan Dickwella (4), who was making his ODI debut, meant that they failed to create a foundation despite the flying start.
India, on the other hand, were sharp on the field as Rayudu lunged forward to take a diving catch which dismissed the left-hander Dickwella, who failed to read a slower one from Kulkarni only to flick it at the fielder at square leg.
The visitors were going at a healthy run-rate of 6.85 with Dilshan firing at the other but the Sri Lankan's experiment of trying out a new combination failed with India striking for 32/1 in 4.4 overs.
Kulkarni might be expensive to start with but Binny bowled a tight line at the other end as the duo did a good job with the new ball in absence of India's pace spearhead this series Umesh Yadav, who was rested.
Binny did not have the pace to bother Dilshan. The batsman looked at ease before the burly Karnataka all-rounder produced one that angled in as Dilshan played the wrong line to get bowled.
Dinesh Chandimal (5) looked out of sorts in the middle and struggled against the Indian spinners, who were brought in after the 12th over, before getting out to Axar Patel.
Jayawardene looked elegant as usual but could not prolong his innings before Ashwin generated a sharp turner with bounce and the Lankan could not escape but to give a thick edge to Rahane at slip.
But it was skipper Mathews who held his nerves and built their innings with his deputy Thirimanne to stage a perfect rescue act.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudum Robin Uthappa (wicketkeeper), Virat Kohli (captain), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Stuart Binny, Kedar Jadhav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni.
Sri Lanka: Tilakratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga, Anjantha Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Chathuranga de Silva, Lahiru Gamage, Ashan Priyanjan.
