A sparkling 139 not out (126b, 12x4, 3x6) by Indian skipper Virat Kohli trumped another equally superb maiden, unbeaten 139 (116b, 6x4, 10x6) by his Sri Lankan counterpart Angelo Mathews as India completed a 5-0 series victory at the JSCA Stadium here on Sunday. India won by three wickets with eight balls to spare.
Opting to bat, Sri Lanka put on 286 for eight in 50 overs, its highest total of the series. India’s riposte was equally spectacular as it reached 288 for seven in 48.4 overs. Axar Patel (17) added 57 runs with his captain for the eighth wicket in 32 balls.
1000 runs for the season
Mathews, who was later adjudged man-of-the-match, became the first batsman to cross 1,000 ODI runs this year and Kohli too completed 1,000 runs the season with the match-winning knock.
India’s last 5-0 sweep at home was against England in 2011-12. It had won an away series with the same margin in Zimbabwe last year. The last series between Sri Lanka and India had ended 3-1 in India’s 2009-10.
India got off to a bad start, losing Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma quickly, but the brilliance of Kohli and solidity of Ambati Rayudu ensured India was cruising towards the target. The third wicket partnership was worth 136 in 23.3 overs.
Kohli’s innings was as pleasing as it was effective. Drives on either side of the wicket bisected the fielders with unerring regularity and his square shots on the off-side had a wide range from backward point to cover-point. His onside strokes were placed between backward square-leg to wide mid-wicket with quick turn of the wrist.
Rayudu’s 59 too was entertaining and helped India consolidate early gains. He was in good nick and looked to play a major role when he was run out after Kohli sent him back.
After Robin Uthappa and debutant Kedar Jadhav were dismissed early by Ajantha Mendis, Kohli reached his fourth century of the year and 21st overall by guiding Eranga to the third-man area. He lost Stuart Binny and Ashwin, to successive balls from Mendis, before Axar gave him company to see the team home.
Good stand
Earlier, coming in at the fall of Dinesh Chandimal at 73 in the 15th over, Mathews produced one of the best innings. Finding an able partner in Lahiru Thirimanne, the two built the total methodically to take the score past 200 before the stand ended.
It was Mathews who dominated the show from the time he hit his first four after playing 41 deliveries. The Lankan captain took 76 balls to reach his first 50 with a six off Karn Sharma and needed 26 more to reach his first century. Such was his domination against the frontline spinners. By then he had hit five boundaries and five sixes.
The partnership, the best in the series, was broken when Thirimanne (52, 76b, 2x4, 1x6) was caught by Rayudu off Ashwin. The pair had put on 128 runs.
The fireworks began in the 41st over bowled by Rayudu. The part-timer was clobbered for a four and two sixes. Ashwin was hit for 10 in the next over. Karn went for 18 and when Axar Patel came on to bowl the 48th over, he was hit for three sixes by Mathews. After Ashwin gave away two sixes in the 49th, Dhawal Kulkarni conceded only four in the final over to keep the Lankan total below 300.
End overs assault
The assault was so severe from Mathews that the last 10 overs produced 114 runs with the final five contributing a whopping 75!
Mathews’s century was second for Sri Lanka in this series after Jayawardene’s 118 at Hyderabad.
In all Mathews smashed 10 sixes, the most by a Sri Lankan batsman, barring Sanath Jayasuriya. Kulkarni finished with three for 57, while Karn bore the burnt of the Lankan’s attack (61 off 10 overs).
Both the teams made two changes. India gave Kedar Jadhav his maiden cap so did Sri Lanka to Niroshan Dickwella who replaced Kusal Perera. R. Ashwin replaced Umesh Yadav and Lahiru Gamage came in for Nuwan Kulasekara.
A century of victories
It was India’s 100th win over Sri Lanka across all formats (83 in ODIs, 14 in Tests and three in T20Is)
