Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj power India’s biggest ODI win in history against Sri Lanka
India created history on Sunday night at Thiruvananthapuram when they crushed Sri Lanka by a record margin of 317 runs to complete a 3-0 series clean sweep, powered by Virat Kohli’s 46th ODI century, career century No 2 for Shubman Gill and a brilliant four-wicket haul for the right-arm fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 73 in 22 overs with Mohammed Siraj returning with 10-1-32-4 when the likes of Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav took a couple of wickets each.
India’s margin of victory — 317 runs — is now the highest ever win by margin of runs in 50-over internationals as they had posted a mammoth total of 390/5 batting first.
It was one-way traffic once again at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram with India producing a comprehensive performance both with the bat and the ball.
The Sri Lankan side looked lacking in confidence and answers to India’s charge with the bat early on in the innings, when their opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 95 runs inside 16 overs to set up a strong platform.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma looked fluent in his 49-ball 42 studded with 3 sixes and 2 boundaries but he played a poor shot to get out and missed a deserving half-century. However, the other opening batsman Shubman Gill went down to bat brilliantly, scoring his second ODI century, finishing at 116 from just 97 balls with 14 boundaries and 2 sixes.
Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli added 131 runs for the second wicket from just 110 balls while for the third wicket, Virat Kohli found a strong partner and Shreyas Iyer as the two right-handed batsmen piled up 108 runs from just 71 balls to put India in a position of complete domination over Sri Lanka.
The star of the night was certainly Virat Kohli who not only scored his 46th ODI century — 74th international century overall — but also because of the way he batted.
While Virat Kohli went about his job in a conventional approach until he reached the triple figure mark, he got his following 66 runs in just 25-odd balls as he turned up the heat on the Sri Lankan bowlers, who looked completely clueless in stopping the juggernaut from the batting maestro.
Shreyas Iyer scored a 32-ball 38 with 2 fours and a six as India finished at a strong total of 390/5 in 50 overs, at target which was beyond Sri Lanka by all means.
Mohammed Siraj rocked the island nation’s team early on with three wickets at the top, dismissing Avishka Fernando for 1, Nuwanidu Fernando for 19 and Kusal Mendis for 4 to put India in complete control with the play resumed in the second innings.
While Mohammed Shami got rid of Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage, Kuldeep Yadav produced a brilliant delivery to beat the defence of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka while also accounting for Lahiru Kumara at the end to complete a commanding victory for the Indian side.
Only three Sri Lankan batsmen — Nuwanidu Fernando (19), Dasun Shanaka and Kasun Rajitha (13*) — could get into double digits as India produced a stunning show with the bat to send shockwaves into the Asia Cup 2022 winning side.