Sri Lanka beats India in ODI Series for first time since 1997

Sri Lanka beat India for the first time in 27 years in a bilateral one-day international series when it cascaded to a 110-run win in the third and final match, winning the series 2-0 in Colombo. They pulled off a thrilling tie in the first ODI before winning the second by 32 runs.

India hadn’t lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka since 1997. They were bowled out for 138 in just 26.1 overs as left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage dismantled the top-order with 5-27.

After captain Charith Asalanka won his third successive toss and chose to bat, opening batter Avishka Fernando had missed out on a well-deserved century when he was dismissed for 96 as Sri Lanka posted their highest total of the series, 248-7.

“I’m a happy captain right now,” Asalanka said. “We all knew they (India) are a very strong batting lineup and we just wanted to back our strength, which is spin bowling.”

Fast bowler Asitha Fernando had Shubman Gill (6) clean bowled in the fifth over.

India captain Rohit Sharma knocked 35 off 20 balls before Wellalage had him caught behind in his second over.

Maheesh Theekshana had Rishabh Pant stumped before Wellalage ran through the middle order which included the key wicket of Virat Kohli who made 20 from 18 balls. 

Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay took two wickets, and Debutant Riyan Parag misread a delivery from Vandersay and was clean-bowled. Wellalage finished the game by trapping Kuldeep Yadav to lbw.

Earlier, Avishka Fernando and opening partner Pathum Nissanka (45) dominated, sharing an 89-run stand before Nissanka top-edged a delivery from Patel giving an easy catch to Pant.

Fernando was then joined by Kusal Mendis to share an 82-run partnership. Mendis made 59 off 82. 

India’s up their bowling with Parag challenging the Sri Lankan batters as they lost five wickets for 28 runs.

Parag trapped Fernando and Asalanka Ibw and finished as the top-wicket taker for India with 3-54. Three other spinners Washington Sundar, Yadav, and Patel also took one wicket each.