India secured a dominant victory in the third ODI against Sri Lanka, with a commanding performance with both bat and ball. Led by Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill’s centuries, India set a record-breaking 390 runs, before proceeding to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 73 runs in 22 overs. The victory margin of 317 runs was the largest in ODI history, surpassing New Zealand’s previous record against Ireland.
The match was a showcase of the stark difference in quality between the two teams, with India choosing to bat first in challenging conditions to set an above-par total and defend it in dewy conditions. However, the match was over before dew could become a factor. The win was set up by Rohit Sharma and Gill’s quick start before Kohli took over, scoring an unbeaten 166 off 110 balls. Gill fell for 116 off 97 in the 34th over.
It was only the second ODI century for Gill, who is still adjusting to pacing an international innings, while Kohli’s was his 46th and his 10th against Sri Lanka, the most any batter has scored against a single opposition. The lack of depth in Sri Lanka’s bowling allowed India to score freely and not have to go hard against Wanindu Hasaranga.
In the last 10 overs, Sri Lanka’s fielding fell apart, with their players struggling to keep up with Kohli’s powerful performance. India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj, took four wickets of Test quality, while Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav supported him with two each.
Overall, it was a dominant and clinical performance from India, who are gearing up for the ODI World Cup later this year, and the many empty chairs at the Greenfield International Stadium did not make for good viewing, raising concerns about the relevance of the 50-over format.
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