The Lankan Lions scored 248 runs for the cost of seven wickets before thrashing Team India for 138 in 26.1 overs. Avishka Fernando hit the most runs with 96, while Dunith Wellalage was the hero with the ball, taking five wickets.
Sri Lanka defeated India by 110 runs on Wednesday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, clinching the three-match series 2-0.
The Lankan Lions scored 248 runs for the cost of seven wickets before limiting Team India to 138 runs in 26.1 overs. Avishka Fernando top scored with 96 runs, while Dunith Wellalage was the outstanding bowler, taking five wickets.
After Sri Lanka won the coin toss, captain Charith Asalanka chose to bat first. Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando opened the innings with an 86-run partnership before the latter was removed by Axar Patel.
Before falling four runs short of a well-earned century, Fernando shared another 85 runs with Kusal Mendis, with debutant Riyan Parag taking the wicket.
After winning the coin flip, Sri Lanka decided to bat first, with captain Charith Asalanka choosing to do so. Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando opened the scoring with an 86-run partnership before the latter was removed by Axar Patel.
Before Fernando was four runs short of a well-earned century, rookie Riyan Parag took the wicket. Fernando had combined with Kusal Mendis for another 85 runs.
Before Sadeera Samarawickrama attempted a golden duck to Mohammad Siraj, skipper Asalanka was dismissed for 10 runs by Parag in a cheap fashion. Washington Sundar defeated Janith Liyanage for eight runs.
With the wicket of Dunith Wellalage, Parag finished his three-wicket haul. Kusal Mendis then took the hosts past the 200-run barrier with an outstanding half-century.
With Maheesh Theekshana and Kamindu Mendis both undefeated at the crease at 23 and 3 runs, respectively, Sri Lanka’s innings ended at 248 runs.
India launched a pursuit, led by captain Rohit Sharma and first man Subman Gill. They got off to a fast start, Rohit leading from the front as they faced the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
But Asitha Fernando gave Sri Lanka an early advantage when she dismissed Gill for six runs after he hit some timber. Next to fall to Wellalage was Rohit, who had blasted 35 runs off his willow in just 20 deliveries.Following Theekshana’s removal of Rishabh Pant for six runs, India struggled to form partnerships. Wellalage further inflicted pain on the men in blue by dismissing Kohli for twenty runs.
Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel were sent back with scores of 2 and 8, respectively, by Wellalage, indicating that they were not very successful at the crease. India reached triple figures thanks to Parag’s 15-run effort before he was outwitted by Jeffrey Vandersay.
Vandersay removed Shiva Dube for nine runs, doubling his total. Washington Sundar, who scored a valiant thirty runs before being dismissed by Theeshana, offered some opposition to the Sri Lankan spinners’ display.
After a 27-year wait, Wellalage secured a historic series victory over India with a fifer as the home team wrapped up the match and the series with the removal of Kuldeep Yadav.
