Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten 166 as India posted 390/5, before bowling out Sri Lanka for 73.© Instagram
Virat Kohli scored his 74th international century to help India beat Sri Lanka by 317 runs and record the highest ever victory margin in ODIs on Sunday. Kohli hit an unbeaten 166 as India posted 390/5 and then bowled out Sri Lanka for 73 in 22 overs. In the process, Kohli went on to break two of Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘all-time records’. Kohli now sits ahead of Tendulkar in the list of most ODI centuries at home, and also holds the record of scoring the highest number of tons against a single team in the 50-over format of international cricket. After Kohli broke Tendulkar’s multiple records, the Indian dugout was on its feet to hail the star batter.
Kohli’s third century in his last four matches and a 116 by opener Shubman Gill powered India to 390-5 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj then returned impressive figures of 4-32 as India bowled out the tourists for 72 in 22 overs as India went past New Zealand’s 290-run thrashing of Ireland in 2008.
A 131-run second-wicket stand between Gill and Kohli stood out after India elected to bat first.
Kohli, who surpassed Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene’s 12,650 ODI runs to enter the top five all-time run getters, reached his 150 in 106 balls and finished off with 13 fours and eight sixes.
Sri Lanka were never in the chase after Mohammed Siraj struck thrice in his first five overs including the wickets of Avishka Fernando, for one, and Kusal Mendis, bowled on four.
The tourists kept losing wickets to Siraj’s pace and swing and the quick also ran out Karunaratne with a direct throw that caught the batsman off guard and out of his crease at the striker’s end.
Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets each to flatten Sri Lanka’s batting with 28 overs to spare, with the tourists losing nine wickets and injured Bandara not batting.
With the win, India registered a 3-0 clean sweep over Sri Lanka.
(With AFP Inputs)
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