Kohli’s century, India beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first ODI

Virat Kohli’s career-best 45th ODI hundred followed by a brilliant performance by the bowlers as India beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here on Tuesday. Taking advantage of two lives, Kohli played an innings of 113 runs, which helped India to post a mammoth score of 373 runs for six wickets. Kohli hit 12 fours and a six in 87 balls. Openers captain Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) also scored half-centuries, adding 143 runs for the first wicket to lay the foundation for India’s big score.

Sri Lanka’s team could only manage 306 for eight in response to captain Dasun Shanaka’s career-best innings (108 not out, 88 balls, 12 fours and three sixes) and a half-century from opener Pathum Nissanka (72). Shanaka shared an unbroken 100-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Kasun Rajita (09 not out). For India, Umran Malik took three wickets for 57 runs while Mohammad Siraj took two wickets for 30 runs. Chasing the target, Sri Lanka got off to a bad start and lost two wickets for 23 runs in the sixth over. In the fourth over of the innings, against Siraj, Avishka Fernando (05) waved the ball in the air and caught Hardik Pandya at mid-off, while the fast bowler also bowled Kusal Mendis (00) in the next over.

Charit Aslanka also became the victim of Umran after scoring 23 runs. He handed the catch to wicketkeeper Lokesh Rahul. Aslanka did not take DRS but replays showed that the ball hit his thigh pad and went into Rahul’s hands. Nissanka and Dhananjay de Silva (47) tried to decorate the innings by adding 72 runs for the fourth wicket. Nissanka completed his half-century in 57 balls with two consecutive fours and one run off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 21st over. The team’s century of runs was also completed in this over.

Rohit then brought back Mohammed Shami to the bowling and he did not disappoint the captain by getting Dhananjay caught by wicketkeeper Rahul. Dhananjay faced 40 balls and hit nine fours. After this, Nissanka also gave a simple catch to Akshar while trying to pull Umran’s bouncing ball. He hit 11 fours in his 80-ball innings. Wanindu Hasaranga (16) hit Chahal for two sixes and a four off consecutive balls but played the next ball straight into the hands of Shreyas Iyer. In the next over, Umran had Dimuth Velalage (00) caught by Gill in the slips to take Sri Lanka to 179 for seven.

Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne (14) took the team’s score beyond 200 runs. Pandya broke the partnership by dismissing Karunaratne. Sri Lanka needed 154 runs to win in the last 10 overs. Shanaka completed his half-century in 50 balls with three fours on Umran and then two runs on Akshar. Despite Shanaka’s fine innings, Sri Lanka needed 112 runs from the last five overs to seal their defeat. Shanaka completed his second century in 87 balls with a four off Shami’s fifth ball in the last over.

Earlier, Kohli, who had scored 113 in India’s last ODI against Bangladesh in Chittagong, was once again in good touch. Former India captain Kohli, who scored a century (140 against the West Indies) in the only ODI here four years ago, also had a run of luck. He got life on the score of 52 and 81 runs. He is now just four centuries away from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 centuries. Kohli now has 73 international centuries in his name.

He has scored 27 centuries in Test cricket and one century in T20 Internationals. Captain Rohit (83 runs in 67 balls, nine fours, three sixes) while replying to the criticism for not feeding the in-form Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill (70 runs in 60 balls, 11 fours) Together they got India off to a great start. On a flat pitch, Rohit had no trouble against the Sri Lankan fast bowlers. The Indian skipper played several pull shots and brought up his half-century in 41 balls. Gill supported the captain well and completed his fifth half-century in 51 balls.

Shanaka trapped Gill lbw to end the dominance of the Indian opening pair. Rohit, who was trying to end the drought of the century, also got bowled by Dilshan Madushanka, who was making his debut after this. Sri Lankan bowlers then curbed the run-rate for some time and removed the score of more than 400 runs from India’s JD. Kohli and Shreyas Iyer (28) tried to increase the run rate. Iyer looked in touch and hit Hasaranga for a six but failed to convert a good start into a big innings. Lokesh Rahul (39) also got bowled by Rajita after a good start. Rajita was the most successful bowler of Sri Lanka. He took three wickets for 88 runs.