Highlights India vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI in Colombo, cricket score: Virat Kohli and Co win by 168 runs; gain 4-0 series lead

Having gone wicketless for so long, Kuldeep Yadav gets the remaining wickets to complete a huge win for the Indians. While Fernando starts the over off with an inside-out short towards the extra-cover fence for a four, he departs the very next ball after serving a simple return catch to the bowler. Captain Lasith Malinga walks out to bat, and is the last man dismissed as he gets his stumps rattled while looking for a heave towards the leg side. India are now one step closer to a 5-0 whitewash.

Highlights India vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI in Colombo, cricket score: Virat Kohli and Co win by 168 runs; gain 4-0 series lead
22:17 (IST)

Sri Lanka's performances in the ongoing series seem to be getting worse with each passing match. The fourth one-dayer saw them suffer their heaviest defeat on home soil, with the hosts never being offered a chance barring the early wicket of Dhawan and the mini-collapse after Virat Kohli's dismissal. They are not helped by the spate of injuries to key players and the two-match suspension on Upul Tharanga, and there is little to stop them from suffering a 5-0 whitewash now. 

We return with our coverage of the ongoing series on Sunday, when India take on Sri Lanka in the final match of the ODI series. For now, it is time for us to bid you goodbye. 

22:10 (IST)

Malinga: 300 wickets is just a number. I am happy to play for the nation. At the end of the day I am happy for the 300th wicket. The young players in the team want to do well and they are excited. They need experience.

22:10 (IST)

Virat Kohli (Man of the Match and Indian captain): It was another good game for us. We spoke about not letting things go complacent. I think it was a very satisfying day. The wicket was amazing. It looked amazing to bat on. It was very difficult for the opposition to catch up with the required run rate. We've given opportunities to three new guys, more guys can be given a chance. 

22:08 (IST)

Virat Kohli is the Man of the Match for his 96-ball 131, his 29th ODI ton. 

21:56 (IST)

After 42.4 overs,Sri Lanka 207/10 ( Akila Dananjaya 11 , )

Having gone wicketless for so long, Kuldeep Yadav gets the remaining wickets to complete a huge win for the Indians. While Fernando starts the over off with an inside-out short towards the extra-cover fence for a four, he departs the very next ball after serving a simple return catch to the bowler. Captain Lasith Malinga walks out to bat, and is the last man dismissed as he gets his stumps rattled while looking for a heave towards the leg side. India are now one step closer to a 5-0 whitewash. 

21:55 (IST)

Biggest home defeat for Sri Lanka in ODIs: (By runs)

168 v India, Colombo(RPS), 2017*

147 v India, Colombo(RPS), 2009

146 v Pakistan, Colombo(RPS), 2009

Umang Pabari, Cricket statistician

21:55 (IST)
21:53 (IST)
Most wins from career's first 34 ODIs as a captain
 
28 - Viv Richards
27 - Ricky Ponting
26 - Clive Lloyd, VIRAT KOHLI* 

Umang Pabari, Cricket statistician

21:53 (IST)
21:53 (IST)

Largest wins for India in Sri Lanka in ODIs: (By runs) 

 
168 v Sri Lanka at Colombo (RPS) in 2017 
147 v Sri Lanka at Colombo (RPS) in 2009 
116 v U.A.E. at Dambulla in 2004 
 

Umang Pabari, Cricket statistician

21:53 (IST)
21:51 (IST)

This is the third consecutive time that India have won four matches in a bi-lateral ODI series in Sri Lanka. 

Umang Pabari, Cricket statistician

21:51 (IST)
21:51 (IST)
wkt

BOWLED! That's it! Kuldeep rattles Malinga's stumps, as India complete an emphatic 168-run win to go 4-0 in the series! SL 207 all out

Malinga b Kuldeep 0(1)

Highlights

title-img

Having gone wicketless for so long, Kuldeep Yadav gets the remaining wickets to complete a huge win for the Indians. While Fernando starts the over off with an inside-out short towards the extra-cover fence for a four, he departs the very next ball after serving a simple return catch to the bowler. Captain Lasith Malinga walks out to bat, and is the last man dismissed as he gets his stumps rattled while looking for a heave towards the leg side. India are now one step closer to a 5-0 whitewash.

Preview: Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be cynosure of all eyes as he gears up for his 300th ODI with a marauding India ready to tighten the noose around beleaguered Sri Lanka in the penultimate encounter of the five-match series, in Colombo on Thursday.

And there is a good opportunity for the former India captain to come up with a memorable performance in his milestone match since Sri Lanka have hardly come aross as respectable rivals in the lop-sided series.

Considered one of the greatest finishers in 50-over cricket, Dhoni will join India's elite 'Club 300', which has Sachin Tendulkar (463), Rahul Dravid (344), Mohammed Azharuddin (334), Sourav Ganguly (311) and Yuvraj Singh (304).

Lasith Malinga and Virat Kohli, the two captains. Reuters

Lasith Malinga and Virat Kohli, the two captains. Reuters

Dhoni should be in fine fettle after playing a significant role in bailing out the team in back-to-back tricky chases against the hosts, slowly falling apart.

The unbeaten knocks of 45 and 67 under pressure is a proof that he is still not finished and his eyes are firmly set on the 50-over World Cup of 2019.

From being a world class finisher to playing a second fiddle to Rohit Sharmas and Bhuvneshwar Kumars, Dhoni has added another dimension to his game.

Although one can't dismiss the fact that a rag-tag Sri Lankan bowling attack, save mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya, has failed to keep up the pressure on Dhoni and Co. after making initial inroads.

The series already sealed with an unassailable 3-0 lead, Virat Kohli's next aim would be to give a chance to players who have only warmed the benches so far such as Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur.

Kohli himself had a couple of low scoring games and he would look to get back to scoring some more runs along with KL Rahul, who has not exactly looked comfortable in an unfamiliar No. 4 position.

The only man who would feel a bit of pressure is Kedar Jadhav after successive ducks. More than the two blobs, what will bother the Jadhav is the fact that he is unable to read Dananjaya's deliveries.

In the first match, he was fooled by a googly and in the second match, he misread the length, trying to go for a sweep shot.

It will be interesting if the team management decides to give Pandey a go instead of Jadhav. The only thing that can save him is his flat off-breaks, which gives Kohli an additional bowling option. Jadhav has picked three wickets in the series so far.

Pacer Thakur has looked sharp in the nets but Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have only played three matches and would not like to take rest.

The India captain has already hinted that he wants to rotate players and chinaman Kuldeep may get a look-in.

In that case, either Yuzvendra Chahal or Axar Patel will make way.

While India have some 'happy problems' to deal with, Sri Lanka are in deep trouble, trying to field a potent first XI.

To begin with, the selection committee headed by Sanath Jayasuriya has resigned. Sri Lanka Cricket has accepted their resignation.

However, they will continue to hold office until the end of this series but there will be intense spotlight on their selection decisions as has been the case for a while now.

Lack of consistency has been a key element of this Jayasuriya-led committee's selection process. They have picked 40 players in ODIs in the past year alone, and the same merry-go-round can be foreseen ahead of this fourth match as well.

Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the series with a hairline fracture on his right thumb after enduring a hit in the previous ODI.

To add to their headache, stand-in skipper Chamara Kapugedara has been ruled out of the remainder of the series as well, owing to an aggravated back injury (he received medical attention whilst batting during the third ODI).

Lasith Malinga will lead the side in the fourth ODI, with suspended captain Upul Tharanga expected to handle the reins in the final ODI on September 3 as well as the solitary T20I on September 6.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Dilshan Munaweera have been added to the squad as covers. They also have Thisara Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga on the bench. Whether the back-to-the-wall, volatile situation inspires a fightback remains to be seen though.

Teams:

India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur.

Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilshan Munaweera, Lahiru Thirimanna, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Upul Tharanga (for fifth ODI).

With inputs from PTI

Updated Date: August 31, 2017 22:46:35 IST

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