For the third match in a row, the Sri Lankan spinners spun a web around the mighty Indian batting to bowl their side to a sensational 2-0 series triumph after beating the Men in Blue by a mammoth 110 runs in the third and final one-day international at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
The win also marked Sri Lanka’s first one-day bilateral series win against their neighbours in 27 years, set up by its spinners who aptly took 27 out of the 30 wickets (nine in each match). Chasing 249 for victory, India succumbed to left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage’s tricks, who scalped a brilliant five-wicket haul (5.1-0-27-5).
The visitor’s chase followed a similar pattern to the first two games, where skipper Rohit Sharma (35) got the team off to a flyer yet again. But once he was back in the dugout, the other batters were like deer caught in the headlights against Lanka’s tweakers.
Wellalage struck four times in his first four overs as India went from 53 for one to 82 for six in under six overs. The left-arm spinner claimed his first wicket of the day when Rohit edged to the keeper and later trapped Virat Kohli leg-before as he missed an arm ball trying to play the spin.
AS IT HAPPENED: IND vs SL highlights, 3rd ODI: Sri Lanka beats India by 110 runs to win series 2-0
In the 13th over, Wellalage castled Axar Patel and had Shreyas Iyer trapped in front — both batters caught on the back foot. Despite playing nine batters, Rohit’s men surrendered meekly in just two hours and were shot out for 138.
Fittingly, Welllage, whose cameos with the bat in the first two matches proved vital for the hosts, took the final wicket.
Earlier, Avishka Fernando slammed a brilliant 96 (102b, 9x4, 2x6) and found able support from Pathum Nissanka (45) and Kusal Mendis (59) to help the home team post 248 for seven.
After winning a crucial toss for the third time, Sri Lanka made good use of the conditions in what appeared to be the best strip of the series, at least for the first half of the innings.
Avishka and his opening partner Nissanka got their team off to a solid start, taking apart Mohammed Siraj, India’s lone frontline pacer. Siraj was wavered, either drifting onto the pads or giving width, and Nissanka was quick to pounce on the opportunities, collecting four boundaries.
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Once Nissanka was dismissed, Avishka and Mendis forged an 82-run alliance for the second wicket. The former reached his half-century in style, driving Axar square through the off-side fence.
Sri Lanka’s Avishka Fernando, right, and Kusal Mendis cheer during their partneship against India in Colombo. | Photo Credit: AP
In the 29th over, Avishka punished Siraj by running him down third-man for a boundary before authoritatively pulling the pacer over square-leg for back-to-back maximums.
Riyan Parag (three for 54), making his ODI debut, got the breakthrough by catching Avishka in front with his leg-spin, four short of what would have been a well-deserved century. Despite the Lions’ mini-collapse, going from 171 for one to 199 for six once the pitch started taking turn, Kusal held fort at one end to help his side finish strongly. In the end, it proved more than enough.
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