DHAWAN, KOHLI SCRIPT EMPHATIC WIN FOR INDIA
Opener Shikhar Dhawan and Skipper Virat Kohli figured in an unbroken 197-run stand for the second wicket to hand Sri Lanka a humiliating nine-wicket defeat in the first ODI encounters played at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium in Dambulla yesterday.
The pair made things look easy in pursuit of 217 runs for victory as they romped home in just 28.5 overs after having lost Rohit Sharma at 23 and to go one up in the five match series.
India in their run chase were never in a hurry as they kept the scoreboard moving to collect their first 50 runs from 49 balls with Dhawan reaching his half century in only 36 deliveries.
India’s 100 runs came from 87 balls which was followed with a 100-run partnership between Dhawan and Kohli in only 79 balls.
The pair hammered the Sri Lanka bowling to all corners of the ground to post their 150 in 131 balls and then Dhawan reached his hundred in 71 balls which included 16 boundaries and two sixes.
The sloppy fielding by the Sri Lanka fielders too added to their woes as Kohli reached his half century in 50 balls.
The onslaught continued as the Sri Lankan bowlers were sent on a leather hunt with Dhawan and Kohli posting their 150-run stand and also brought up India’s 200 runs in just 159 balls.
Dhawan went on to make a quick-fire unbeaten 132 from 90 balls which was his 12th ODI century which comprised 20 boundaries and three sixes.
And quite fittingly Dhawan hit the winning runs with a boundary from the bowling of Wanidu Hasaranga. Skipper Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 from 70 balls inclusive of ten boundaries and a six. Earlier, Sri Lanka threw away a solid opening given by the top three batsmen Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis with some unrealistic batting as they were bowled out for 216 runs in 43.2 overs after being put into bat.
None of the batsmen beyond number five were able to get into double figures with Angelo Mathews losing partners at the other end as he remained unbeaten on 36.
This was after the openers Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunatileke had plundered the Indian bowlers and had their own way in the beginning.
The pair posted the 50-run partnership in just 53 balls before spinner Yuzvendra Chahal made the breakthrough with the wicket of Gunathilaka. Dickwella joined Kusal Mendis and the duo continued the trend from thereon as they combined together to post the 100 runs for Sri Lanka off 110 balls.
Dickwella raced to his half century from 65 balls which comprised five boundaries and also posted the 50-run partnership for the second wicket in 50 balls.
At the halfway stage of the innings Sri Lanka were sitting pretty at 141 for two but after the fall of the third wicket they completely lost their way against some accurate bowling.
The spin trio of Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kedar Jadhav and right-arm pacie Jasprit Bumrah were responsible for Sri Lanka’s downfall.
The two sides will play the second ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on August 24.