Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd ODI: Wellalage stars as Sri Lanka hammer India to clinch ODI series

Spinner Dunith Wellalage took 5-27 as Sri Lanka clinched a first ODI series victory over India in 27 years with a 110-run thrashing of the tourists in the third match on Wednesday.

Chasing 249 for victory, number one-ranked India suffered a third successive batting collapse in the three-match series to be bowled out for 138 in 26.1 overs at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka, who last registered a bi-lateral series triumph over India in the 50-over format in 1997, won the series 2-0 after the opener ended in a tie.

Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had returned for the ODI matches after Suryakumar Yadav led the team to a 3-0 series sweep in the T20 matches at the start of India's white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.

Both Rohit and Kohli retired from T20 internationals after the team's World Cup triumph in Barbados in June.

The tour was the first for India coach Gautam Gambhir, who took over the job after Rahul Dravid's tenure ended following the World Cup win.

Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the ODI world ranking, have managed a quick turnaround from the T20 matches under new skipper Charith Asalanka and interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya.

Struggling Sri Lanka had failed to qualify for next year's Champions Trophy and were knocked out of the first round of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The hosts batted first and reached 248-7 with opener Avishka Fernando, who hit 96, and Kusal Mendis, who made 59, setting the pace for the total.

In reply, Rohit made 35 before India fell like a pack of cards as Wellalage rattled the top- and middle-order with his left-arm spin.

Fast bowler Asitha Fernando struck first with the wicket of Shubman Gill before Wellalage took charge and sent back Rohit in just his second over.

He trapped Kohli lbw for 20 and then struck twice in one over as India slipped to 82-6.

Previous-match hero Jeffrey Vandersay, who came in as replacement for injured Wanindu Hasaranga in the second ODI, took two to put India in further trouble at 101-8.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana also took two wickets. Wellalage wrapped up the Indian innings to return career-best figures.

Fernando set up victory as he put on big partnerships, including an 89-run opening stand with Pathum Nissanka, who hit 45.

Indian bowlers hit back after Riyan Parag sent back Fernando, but Kusal stood firm from one end and boosted the total with his 59.

Parag, who returned figures of 3-54, also captured Asalanka's wicket for 10 as Sri Lanka slumped from 171-1 to 199-6.

Kusal and Kamindu Mendis, who made an unbeaten 23, put together 36 runs for the seventh wicket and Sri Lanka got 31 runs from the last three overs.

Match Summary

Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd ODI, India tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka 248/7 (50 ov)

India 138/10 (26.1 ov)

Sri Lanka won by 110 runs.

SCORECARD

Match Stats

Sri Lanka Fall of wickets: 1-89 (Pathum Nissanka-19.5 ov), 2-171 (Avishka Fernando-35.3 ov), 3-183 (Charith Asalanka-37.6 ov), 4-184(Sadeera Samarawickrama-38.5 ov), 5-196 (Janith Liyanage-42.4 ov), 6-199 (Dunith Wellalage-43.3 ov), 7-235 (Kusal Mendis-48.4 ov)

India Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Shubman Gill-4.3 ov), 2-53 (Rohit Sharma-7.1 ov), 3-63 (Rishabh Pant-9.2 ov), 4-71 (Virat Kohli-10.5 ov), 5-73 (Axar Patel-12.1 ov), 6-82 (Shreyas Iyer-12.5 ov), 7-100 (Riyan Parag-15.6 ov), 8-101 (Shivam Dube-17.3 ov), 9-138 (Washington Sundar-25.6 ov), 10-138 (Kuldeep Yadav-26.1 ov)

Playing XI

SRI LANKA

INDIA

Match Details

Date - 2024-08-07 09:00:00

Venue - R.Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo

Toss - Sri Lanka elected to bat

Umpires - Joel Wilson (West Indies), Ruchira Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka), Paul Reiffel (Australia TV)

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