Sri Lanka end 27-year-drought against India in an ODI series; win third match by 110 runs

Sri Lank scripted history on Wednesday by beating India in a bilateral ODI series after 27 years. The Lankans won the third ODI by 110 runs, securing the series 2-0 against the Men in Blue.

Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling tie in the first game last Friday before winning the second game by 32 runs on spin-dominated pitches in Colombo.

India hadn’t lost a bilateral ODI series to Sri Lanka since 1997, but was bowled out for 138 in just 26.1 overs as left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage rocked the top-order with 5-27.


Faced with a tricky victory target of 249 to draw level at 1-1, India never built any momentum after losing their two most experienced batsmen in skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Wellalage had Rohit caught behind for 35 after the Indian skipper went on the attack early on and the spinner then trapped Kohli lbw for 20, with India unable to arrest their slide from there at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer also fell victim to Wellalage, who finished with figures of 5-27 after getting rid of last man Kuldeep Yadav. Washington Sundar mounted a late fightback for India with a well-made 30 but his effort was in vain.

Meanwhile in the first innings, Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag took 3 for 54 on debut but Sri Lanka still managed a competitive 248 for 7 riding on Avishka Fernando's composed 96 and Kusal Mendis's well-compiled 59 in the third and final ODI. Bowling his off-breaks, Riyan denied Fernando a well-deserved century. His 102-ball innings had nine fours and two sixes.

Fernando added 89 runs for the first wicket with Pathum Nissanka (45) and another 82 for the second wicket with Mendis.