India clean sweep Sri Lanka with big win in 3rd test

Pallekele: An authoritative India on Monday completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka with an innings and 171-run annihilation in the third and final Test, bringing to an early end to one of the most lopsided series in recent years.

None of the three matches lasted five days, with the final one being the shortest, lasting just two and a half days. With Sri Lanka resuming the day at 19/1 after following-on and facing a 352-run deficit, the final outcome was a foregone conclusion.

The hosts were eventually bundled out for 181 in 74.3 overs in their second innings shortly before tea on day three to hand the visitors a first-ever series clean sweep on overseas soil. The pace duo of Umesh Yadav (2/21) and Mohammed Shami (3/32) provided the early breakthroughs for India before the spinners Kuldeep Yadav (1/56) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4/68) made further inroads.

Shami was most impressive as he bowled with pace and precision, carrying on from his showing in the first innings where he had struck twice. With Sri Lanka struggling at 82/4 at lunch, it became certain that the game will not stretch to the fourth day, ensuring an extra day’s rest for the Indians ahead of the five-match ODI series starting Sunday.

Post lunch, Dinesh Chandimal (36) and Angelo Mathews (35) took their fifth wicket partnership to 65 runs. Their stand was the bare minimum resistance to the Indian attack on this third day, and it only helped in delaying proceedings a tad as the duo brought up Lanka’s 100 in the 49th over.

Kuldeep got the breakthrough as Chandimal was caught at short leg in the 51st over. Three overs later, it became a double blow as Ashwin trapped Mathews lbw to end all hopes of a stronger Lankan fightback. Niroshan Dickwella (41) played some aggressive strokes but wickets kept falling regularly at the other end.

Dilruwan Perera (8) was caught off Ashwin at midwicket, like in the first innings, and then Mohammed Shami (3/32) had Lakshan Sandakan (8) caught behind. Ajinkya Rahane took a sharp catch at gully to dismiss Dickwella off Yadav in the 70th over.

Shortly afterwards then, Ashwin bowled Lahiru Kumara (10) to wrap up a comprehensive series win for the world number one side. In the morning session, Shami bowled a fiery opening spell while Ashwin removed opener Dimuth Karunaratne (16) at the other end. The ball took extra bounce and lobbed off his glove as the batsman was caught at slip in the third over of the morning. Shami then had nightwatchman Malinda Pushpakumara (1) caught behind in the 21st over.

Scorecard
India (1st innings): 487
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 135
Sri Lanka (2nd innings, o/n 19/1): Dimuth Karunaratne c Rahane b Ashwin 16, Upul Tharanga b Umesh 7, Malinda Pushpakumara c Saha b Shami 1, Kusal Mendis lbw b Shami 12, Dinesh Chandimal c Pujara b K Yadav 36, Angelo Mathews lbw b Ashwin 35, Niroshan Dickwella c Rahane b Umesh 41, Dilruwan Perera c H Pandya b Ashwin 8, Lakshan Sandakan c Saha b Shami 8, Vishwa Fernando (not out) 4, Lahiru Kumara b Ashwin 10. Extras: (b2, nb1) 3. Total: (in 74.3 overs) 181.
FoW: 1-15, 2-26, 3-34, 4-39, 5-104, 6-118, 7 -138, 8-166, 9-168.
Bowling: Shami 15-6-32-3 (1nb), Ashwin 28.3-6-68-4, Umesh 13-5-21-2, Kuldeep 17-4-56-1, Hardik 1-0-2-0.