SL vs Ind, 5th ODI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Virat Kohli help India clinch series 5-0
Colombo: India dished out an all-round performance at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, on Sunday, as India cruised to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final ODI.
This victory helped India clinch an unprecedented 5-0 clean sweep in Sri Lanka. No other country has ever achieved this feat before.
The Indians were at their hosts’ throats from the word go, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah got a couple of early wickets. Lahiru Thirimanne (67) and Angelo Mathews (55) rebuilt the Sri Lanka innings with a 122-run partnership.
However, the Indian bowlers came back in the slog overs to wrap-up the innings for a lowly score of 238.
Man of the match Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the Indian bowlers, picking up with the first five-wicket-haul of his ODI career; he ended with career-best ficures of 5-42.
Incidentally, India wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni got to his 100th stumping, as he whipped off the bails off Yuzvendra Chahal’s bowling to dismiss Akila Dhananjaya (4).
With this stumping, Dhoni becomes the wicketkeeper with the most stumpings (100) in ODI cricket, surging one ahead of Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara.
India got off to a shaky start with Ajinkya Rahane (5) and Rohit Sharma (16) departing quickly.
However, captain Virat Kohli came up with the goods on the last match of the ODI series, with an unbeaten 110 from 116 balls, as he steered India to a 6-wicket win. This was Kohli’s 30th ODI century.
The India captain had some crucial help on the way to victory. He had a crucial 99-run partnership with Manish Pandey (36) after the early departures of Rohit and Rahane.
While this partnership consolidated India’s innings, Kohli’s 109-run stand with Kedar Jadhav (63) put India in the driving seat. Indeed, the Men in Blue looked like they would romp home with both the captain and Jadhav at the crease.
However, Jadhav edged a Wanindu Hasaranga delivery straight into the gloves of Sri Lanka keeper Niroshan Dickwella, with just two runs left to win. Those last two runs were shared between Kohli and Dhoni.
Scorecard:
Sri Lanka 238 all out. (Lahiru Thirimanne 67, Angelo Mathews 55; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5-42).
India 239-4 from 46.3 overs. (Virat Kohli 110*, Kedar Jadhav 63; Wanindu Hasarnaga 1-29).
India win the match by 6 wickets, and clinch the ODI series 5-0.
India Innings
India 239-4 from 46.3 overs
And its all over. The five-match ODI series comes to an end, with India winning all of the games. They are yet to lose a single game on this Sri Lanka tour. And who better to bring up the winning runs, and captain-fantastic himself, Virat Kohli
India 237-4 from 46.1 overs
WICKET! Pretty inconsequential at this moment. However, a wicket is a wicket, and India have to go through the motions for the last two runs, as Jadhav edges it straight into nthe keeper's gloves.
India 223-3 from 42.3 overs
After a bit of a nervy wait, Kohli, finally gets to his century, as he steers Dhananjaya to the off side. Number 30 in ODI cricket for the India captain.
India 211-3 from 40.3 overs
Kedar Jadhav cheekily steers it down to third man, to notch up the second fifty of his ODI career.
India 209-3 from 40 overs
India are slowly inching their way towards a 5-0 clean sweep of the ODI series. There is absolutely no pressure on Kohli and Jadhav, as they near their century and half century, respectively.
India 178-3 from 35 overs
India are cruising along at a steady rate, now. Virat Kohli looks well set, and Kedar Jadhav has also gotten into the groove of things pretty quickly.
India 128-3 from 25.1 overs
WICKET! Pandey goes for the wild slog against Pushpakumara as the ball goes high into the Colombo night sky. Upul Tharanga took an easy catch in the deep.
India 112-2 from 22.1 overs
Virat Kohli brings up his 45th ODI fifty with a boundary straight down the ground. This has been an important innings by the captain. India are now well on course for a fifth win this series.
India 70-2 from 15 overs
The Indian innings has been somewhat stabilised after the two early wickets. Virat Kohli has taken the onus upon himself, while Manish Pandey plays the sheet-anchor role.
India 53-2 from 10 overs
The two early wickets have put India in a bit of trouble at the moment. Sri Lanka were far ahead of them, at this point of time in their innings. The Indian middle order has looked a bit shaky this series, and this would be a good time for Kohli and Manish Pandey to consolidate the innings and get some gametime in. Kohli seems to have launched into the overdrive mode in the last few balls though, striking a couple of boundaries in the last couple of balls.
India 29-2 from 7.3 overs
WICKET! India are in a bit of trouble, here. Fernando pitches it a little short of full length, and Rohit tries to sweep it away behind the wicket. Although he caught the ball sweetly on his bat on a half volley, Pushpakumara, strategically placed at short fine leg, was within reach of the ball, and did well to take a diving catch.
India 17-1 from 4.4 overs
WICKET! Malinga bangs it in short as Rahane goes for the big pull. However, he only managed to top edge it high into the Colombo sky, for Munaweera to take a good catch at fine leg.
Sri Lanka Innings
Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up a five-wicket-haul, as India restricted Sri Lanka to 238 for 10, after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat first.
Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga (48 from 34 balls) got off to a flying start, but nobody at the other end held fort.
Despite a few early wickets, Lahiru Thirimanne (67) and Angelo Mathews (55) consolidated the innings in the middle order.
However, the Indian bowlers pulled things back in the last 10 overs, to wrap up the Sri Lanka innings for a lowly 238.
Scorecard:
Sri Lanka 238 all out. (Lahiru Thirimanne 67, Angelo Mathews 55; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5-42)
India need 239 runs to win from 50 overs at 4.78.
Sri Lanka 238 all out from 49.4 overs
WICKET! And the Sri Lanka innings comes to an end, with Bhuvneshwar Kunar getting his five-wicket-haul, after dismissing Malinga.
Sri Lanka 228-9 from 47.1 overs
WICKET! All hell is breaking lose for the hosts. Siriwardana goes for the big hoik on the leg side, but it was not well struck, and Shardul Thakur takes an easy catch in the deep.
Sri Lanka 228-8 from 46.5 overs
WICKET! Good wicket-to-wicket bowling by Bumrah. Pushpakumara stepped out of thec rease and gave it an almighty swing. However, Bumrah fired it in slow and full, as it crashed into the stumps. There was a little doubt about a no-ball, but his foot was fractionally behind the line, and the ball was just about waist-height, replays suggested.
Sri Lanka 212-7 from 45 overs
WICKET! Dhananjya got some of his own medicine form Chahal. Seeing him step out, Chahal dropped it wide outside the off stump. Despite reaching a long way, Dhananjaya could not connect with the ball, as Dhoni easily completed the stumping. This was Dhoni's 100th stumping.
Thirimanne and Mathews’ wickets have not done Sri Lanka any good. All of the good work put in by the duo in the middle overs are coming off, as the Indian bowlers are picking up one wicket after the other, here. They need some big overs, now.
Sri Lanka 205-6 from 43 overs
WICKET! Hasaranga played Chahal with soft hands, and decided to risk the quick single. However, Dhoni was quick to shake his gloves off and hurl it towards Chahal, who made sure he collected it cleanly before disturbing the stumps. Hasaranga was well outside his mark.
Sri Lanka 194-5 from 41.1 overs
WICKET! Mathews tried to be a bit too cheeky there. He attempted to scoop Kuldeep over the keeper's head for a boundary, but the ball bounced a bit on him, and he mis-timed his shot. It ended up in being an easy catch for Dhoni.
Sri Lanka 185-4 from 38.5 overs
WICKET! Bhuvi has struck again! Fired in a short-ish delivery, which Thirimanne has some difficulty in negotiating. He only managed to play it onto the stumps. Thirimanne has played a sturdy innings, taking the Sri Lankan innings to relative safety.
Sri Lanka 152-3 from 31.3 overs
Very good batting by Lahiru Thirimanne. He has dropped the anchor and taken his time against the rampant Indian bowlers. He brings up his 18th ODI 50 from 83 balls.
Sri Lanka 148-3 from 30 overs
Stability has been brought back into the Lankan innings with Mathews and Thirimanne looking to keep things ticking over at a steady rate. Despite the loss of four wickets, they have been able to maintain a run rate of around 5 an over. If this duo can stick to the crease till the slog overs, the home side can expect to put up a big total.
Sri Lanka 88-3 from 15 overs
WICKET! Its been tough going for Sri Lanka, today. They had started off at a steady pace, but the wicket of Upul Tharanga has bogged them down a bit. However, Mathews and Thirimanne are looking to keep the scoreboard ticking at a steady rate, as they run their quick singles.
Sri Lanka 63-3 from 9.2 overs
WICKET! This looks bad for Sri Lanka. They have been scoring the quick runs in the opening exchanges, mainly due to captainUpul Tharanga's blitzkrieg. However, Bumrah straightened him up with an in-swinger, as the Indian fielders immediately went up in appeal for an LBW. The umpire did not hesitate to raise his finger. Tharanga departs for 48 from 34 balls , two runs short of his 35th ODI 50.
Sri Lanka 40-2 from 6.4 overs
WICKET! Bhuvi fires it in short yet again, but only hurls it a little slower this time. Munaweera tried to pull it again, but it caught the toe of his bat this time, as it looped in the air. Kohli took a good diving catch at mid-off.
Sri Lanka 14-1 from 3 overs
WICKET! A well-disguised delivery by Bhuvi here. He has been smashed for a few by Tharanga, but he completely deceived Dickwell there, with a knuckle ball. Failing to read the pace of the ball, Dickwella lobbed it up in the air for the bowler to take an easy catch on his follow-through.
Teams:
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Upul Tharanga (c), Dilshan Munaweera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Wanidu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vishwa Fernando, Lasith Malinga.
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli (c), Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur.
Toss:
Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharagna wins the toss, and elects to bat first.
Preview: The start of the fifth and final Sri Lanka versus India ODI is delayed by half an hour due to rain here on Sunday.
With Team India dominantly steamrolling over Sri Lanka so far in the ODI series, the Men in Blue will fancy their chances of completing a 5-0 clean sweep when they take on a harried Sri Lanka side in the 5th ODI dead rubber on Sunday.
Virat Kohli’s men previously bagged a 3-0 whitewash in the Test series, and with the good run they are in, they will aim to sweep the ODI series as well.
On the other hand, it’s been a frustrating summer for the home team. Having lost to minnows Zimbabwe previously in the ODI series, they have missed out on the opportunity to secure direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup by failing to win two matches in the series so far. Earlier, the Sri Lankan selection committee, led by Sanath Jayasuriya also announced their resigning.
The Men in Blue are likely to stick with the same in the last ODI, while Sri Lanka skipper Upul Tharanga makes a comeback into the team after his two-game suspension for a slow-over rate. However, a much-needed win for the Lions in the final ODI could do them a world of good as they embrace new challenges.
Squads:
Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga (captain), Lasith Malinga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilshan Munaweera, Lahiru Thirimanna, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando.
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur.
