Rohit Sharma hits 12th ton, guides India to series win vs Sri Lanka amid crowd trouble
Rohit Sharma scored his 12th ODI century as India defeated Sri lanka by six wickets to take unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Jaspti Bumrah finished with a sensational spell of 10-2-27-5 as India restricted Sri Lanka to 217/9.
Rohit Sharma is branded a batsman full of elegant shots. On Sunday, he revealed timing of a different kind as he dug deep to stroke his 12thODI century after India’s top order wobbled, sealing a six–wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third one-dayer on Sunday. (India vs Sri Lanka: 3rd ODI HIGHLIGHTS)
India sealed the five-match series with two matches left after pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah set it up with his maiden five-wicket haul at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. (India vs Sri Lanka: 3rd ODi SCORECARD)
Rohit took charge after India were reduced to 61 for four in the 16th over in the face of an improved Sri Lankan bowling. He played the waiting game as well as the big shots, his unbeaten 124 off 145 balls containing 16 fours and two sixes.
Rohit shared in an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 157–run fifth wicket partnership with MS Dhoni, who struck his 65th ODI fifty (67 no – 86 b, 4x4, 1x6) after being called up to revive the innings for the second game in a row.
India restricted Sri Lanka to 217/6 and reached 218 for four in 45.1 overs.
Crowd trouble
India’s victory, with eight runs to get, was delayed by over 30 minutes after irate spectators, booing the Sri Lankan team, threw water bottles into the ground. Play was eventually resumed before a half-empty stadium and concluded.
There was no strife in Rohit Sharma’s innings though. He first countered Sri Lanka’s pace attack and then joined Dhoni to tackling mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya, who added to his six-wicket haul in the second ODI by spreading panic again with two wickets in three deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s inability to put up decent totals though let India off the hook again. And the batsmen fared better treating Dananjaya as an off-break bowler.
Show of character
Rohit Sharma’s world record 264 had come against a far superior Sri Lankan side, but Sunday’s effort showed his character and fitness. While he was rock solid, he also played his shots.
He struck Dushmantha Chameera for three fours to get past fifty and then signalled Dananjaya had been countered by hitting him for six to move into the 90s before taking a single to get to his century.
MS Dhoni again proved a calibrated finisher. However, it was a case of lightning striking twice as Dananjaya again left India with something to ponder.
Lasith Malinga bowled Shikhar Dhawan (5) with one that came in and skipper Virat Kohli, bowled by Dananjaya for four in the last game, flicked pacer Vishwa Fernando to be caught at square leg.
KL Rahul (17 – 24 b) didn’t look comfortable and hoisted Dananjaya’s fifth delivery to midwicket. Kedar Jadhav may be able to take bowling attacks apart, but for the second game Dananjaya outwitted him, trapping him with a leg-break as he tried to sweep.
Bumrah’s show
Bumrah bowled with pace and got early seam movement and it was left to two players called up for the game to revive the innings after Chamara Kapugedera, the stand-in skipper, had opted to bat.
Lahiru Thirimanne hit a solid 80 (105 b, 5x4, 1x6) after laying the platform with Dinesh Chandimal (36), the Test skipper controversially omitted and picked only after opener Dhanushka Gunathilaka was injured and skipper Upul Tharanga was banned for the team’s slow over rate.
Thirimanne, 28, whose previous ODI was in January 2016, struck his 17th half-century. Chandimal made a patient 71-ball 36 that allowed Thirimanne to play with more freedom in a 72-run third-wicket stand. However, Chandimal was in distress after Hardik Pandya’s short delivery struck him on his right thumb.
He returned after treatment, but was in discomfort for the rest of the innings. Pandya eventually had him caught by Bumrah at midwicket. But no Sri Lankan batsmen could produce the late momentum.
Bumrah trapped in-form opener Niroshan Dickwella (13) and got Kusal Mendis (1) nick a delivery seaming away, Rohit Sharma taking a diving catch in the slip cordon.
Thirimanne drove Hardik for four boundaries on the way to his fifty. Leg spinner Yuzhvendra Chahal began well but then went for runs, which included a six over midwicket by Thirimanne. Bumrah foxed him with a slower one, which he chipped to midwicket.
The fourth ODI will be played in Colombo on August 31..
