Colombo: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5/42) grabbed his career-best figures and then Virat Kohli (110 n o, 116b, 9×4) got his 30th hundred as India completed their Sri Lanka whitewash with a thumping six-wicket win in the fifth and final ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium here Sunday.
It was a repeat story of the first four games as the bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 238 all out in 49.4 overs. Then Kohli anchored the chase after the early loss of Ajinkya Rahane (5) and Rohit Sharma (16). The Indian skipper first put on 99 runs for the third wicket with Manish Pandey (36, 53b, 2×4) to steady the ship and then another 109 for the fourth with Kedar Jadhav (63, 73b, 7×4) to take the visitors to the doorsteps of victory.
While anchoring the victory target Kohli became the quickest to the 30-century mark in ODIs. Ricky Ponting who has the same number of ODI hundreds needed 262 innings while Kohli got to the mark in his 186th innings. He is now just only behind Sachin Tendulkar (49 ODI tons).
Earlier, the Sri Lankan batting once again promised a lot but delivered too little losing seven wickets for 53 runs after they were cruising along at 185 for 3. A 122-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Lahiru Thirimanne (67, 102b, 3×4, 1×6) and Angelo Mathews (55, 98b, 4×4) enabled Sri Lanka to reach a position of safety before Bhuvneshwar triggered their downfall. Jasprit Bumrah (2/45), Kuldeep Yadav (1/40) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/36) were the other wicket-takers.
Upul Tharanga (48, 34b, 9×4) played a flier at the start but his partner Niroshan Dickwella (two) fell early. Then Virat Kohli took a brilliant catch running backwards to dismiss Dilshan Munaweera (four). Bumrah then had Tharanga caught behind in the 10th over and Sri Lanka were again looking down the barrel.
Thirimanne and Mathews though defied the Indian bowling for 29.3 overs as they put on the hosts’ highest stand throughout this five-match series. But they batted a tad too slowly and could never dictate terms. Their 100-partnership came off 122 balls as they looked to provide a cushion for the lower-order to attack the Indian bowling.
It came to nought though as the duo were dismissed in quick succession. First, Kumar bowled Thirimanne in the 39th over, and then in the 42nd over, Mathews attacked Kuldeep only to be caught behind by MS Dhoni after mishitting it. An over later, Wanidu Hasaranga (9) was run out.
Dhoni was in business again when he stumped Akila Dananjaya (four) in the 43rd over off Chahal to become the first man to notch up 100 stumpings. The earlier record stood in the name of Kumara Sangakkara who had 99 stumpings.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 238 in 49.4 overs (Lahiru Thirimanne 67, Angelo Mathews 55, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5/42) lost to India 239 for 4 in 46.3 overs (Virat Kohli 110 n o, Kedar Jadhav 63) by six wickets.
press trust of india
