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Preview: Having decimated the opposition with clinical precision in all four matches, India will be aiming to complete a clean sweep when they take on a struggling Sri Lanka in the fifth and final cricket one-dayer. With the series already in their pocket, Virat Kohli-led team would like to finish the series 5-0 which will be a confidence booster with the ICC World Cup starting in less than 100 days’ time. If India have been thoroughly professional in their first three outings, the penultimate one at Eden Gardens, turned out to be historic with Rohit Sharma smashing his way into the record books with a highest individual ODI score of 264 as India routed the islanders by 153 runs. [caption id=“attachment_1805025” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
The Indian team has already won 4 matches in the series. PTI image[/caption] Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews has admitted that nothing was going their way after a string of embarrassing failures. The worst part was that they were never able to give India any competition. If the bowling has lacked the venom in absence of their sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga, it’s better not to say something about the fielding which has failed to give them the back-up. Rohit, incidentally was the third Indian centurion in the series, to have been let-off early in his innings. Having been dropped on 4 by Thisara Perera who let go a regulation catch, Rohit made merry during his return to international cricket after sustaining a finger injury during the ODI series in England. The Mumbaikar unfortunately missed out on the first three ODIs as the team had already been picked by then but he had made his intentions clear with a 111-ball 145 in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka, his first competitive game since recovery. Rohit was brought in place of Shikhar Dhawan, the leading run-getter in the series so far, in a slew of changes for the last two ODIs and he has seized the opportunity to perfection. It was a lesson to watch Rohit pace his innings as the Mumbaikar took 100 balls for his first hundred and took 73 balls for the next 164 in an incredible innings. The knock had such impact that it would continue to haunt the Lankans in the days to come and it would be no different at the swanky JSCA International Stadium Complex here. It’s not just one batsman but everyone in the top order has contributed be it opener Ajinkya Rahane or new No 3 Ambati Rayudu while skipper Kohli has shown amazing maturity in backing up his teammates. Kohli played a selfless knock of 66 and gave maximum strikes to Sharma in their 202-run match-winning partnership at Eden Gardens as the flamboyant Delhi batsman would once again play the pivotal role in India’s batting. In the bowling, Umesh Yadav has been a revelation with the new ball and leads the tally with 10 scalps, while rookie left-arm spinner Axar Patel is posing to be a tough competitor for Ravindra Jadeja with nine victims from four matches. It remains to be seen whether the team think tank chooses to tinker in the line-up bringing in the likes of Ranganath Vinay Kumar and Kedar Jadhav to have a look-in. After their most insipid effort during the last match, the Lankans will have to regroup and atleast play for respect in order to end the series on a positive note. It would start with their bowling attack that conceded 233 runs in the last 18 overs in Eden Gardens while in batting too their top order have to get back to runs. According to the curator, the pitch has a bit of bounce and will aid spinners later on but it’s the dew which may turn out to be a big factor. With the city’s iconic son and regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni recovering from an injury, it would be a dampener of sorts for the city’s fans as team India would play without him for the first time in Ranchi. India have never lost in Ranchi, which has so far hosted two matches with the last one being a washout after Australia set India 296 in January last year. Teams (from) India: Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Vinay Kumar, Stuart Binny, Karn Sharma, Axar Patel and Kedar Jadhav. Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (c), Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Niroshan Dickwella, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lahiru Gamage, Chaturanga de Silva, Seekuge Prasanna, Ajantha Mendis and Shaminda Eranga. Match starts at 1.30 pm (IST).
India vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI as it happened: Kohli ton sinks Sri Lanka
With the series already in their pocket, Virat Kohli-led team would like to finish the series 5-0
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MASTER OF CHASES: 13 centuries in a winning cause. That’s Virat Kohli for you!
That’s it! India win by 3 wickets. They whitewash SrI Lanka 5-0
Kohli finishes it off in style. At first he plunders the first ball over wide long on and then hammers it over long on to hit the winning runs. He lets out a huge roar!
Over 48: India 274/7 (Kohli 126, Akshar 16)
Clever cricket from Kohli and Akshar. Riskfree cricket, picking up a couple of 2s with good running and four singles to make it 8 runs from the over.
Over 47: India 266/7 (Kohli 120, Akshar 14)
Eranga deliver the first one very wide outside off, Kohli can’t dig it and it’s called a wide. He then takes a single. Eranga then bowls a beauty, Akshar is squared up and gets an outside edge to third man for a boundary. The next ball is uppishly drives and it just eludes Eranga as it dips on him. Kohli then lofts it over extra cover for another boundary. A couple of singles to end the over. 13 runs off it.
Over 46: India 253/7 (Kohli 114, Akshar 8)
Spectacular batting fom Kohli, after two singles off the first two balls, he dances down the track and cracks it over extra cover for a 85m maximum. He then uses his feet again and thumps it straight back past the bowler for a boundary. 13 runs off the over.
Over 45: India 240/7 (Kohli 102, Akshar 7)
Akshar Patel looking good out in the middle. A tad short off the 2nd ball, Akshar rocks back and cuts it through point for a boundary. He then lofts the last delivery over extra cover using his feet for a couple to make it 7 fromt he over.
Over 44: India 233/7 (Kohli 101, Akshar 1)
Brilliant over for Sri Lanka. 2 runs and two wickets off it.
OUT! Mendis has brought Sri lanka back into the match. R Ashwin lbw b Mendis 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)
Full on middle and leg, spinning in. Ashwin leans forward for a prod but misses and gets hit on the pads. The umpire raises the finger after a long ponder.
OUT! Poor cricket from Binny. Binny st Chandimal b Mendis 12 (15b 2×4 0x6)
Loopy and a tad full outside off, it spins back in. Binny dances down the track for a wild heave but misses. The keeper clips the bails off calmly. There was no need of that shot.
Over 43: India 231/5 (Kohli 100, Binny 12)
Kohli gets to his 21st ODI century. The run maching goes on and on and on. Another ton while chasing. 4 singles off the over.
Over 42: India 227/5 ( Kohli 97, Binny 11)
Binny looking to attack. He goes for an expansive drive off the third ball but gets an outside edge wide of the first slip fielder for a streaky boudndary. Two singles off the next three balls make it 6 runs from the over.
Over 41: India 221/5 (Kohli 96, Binny 6)
Binny has started positively, he gets down and sweeps it powerfully wide of short fine leg for a boundary. Just a single off the next three balls though. 5 runs off the Dilshan over.
Over 40: India 216/5 (Kohli 96, Binny 1)
4 runs and a wicket off the over.
OUT! Mendis strikes! K Jadhav b Mendis 20 (24b 3×4 0x6)
Loopy and full on off, spinning back in, Jadhav dances down the track and looks to heave but misses and finds his stumps shattered.
Over 39: India 212/4 (Kohli 95, Jadhav 18)
Just 2 runs off the over. Good one from Prasanna.
Over 38: India 210/4 (Kohli 94, Jadhav 18)
Jadhav upping the ante now. The first ball is a low full toss, Jadhav gets down and slog sweeps it over square leg for a bounadry. He then rocks back and cuts it through backward point for consecitive fours. Two singles off the next four balls make it 10 from the over.
Over 37: India 200/4 (Kohli 93, Jadhav 9)
The keeper lets the bowler Prasanna down off the last ball. After just 2 runs off the first five balls, Prasanna delivers it wide outside off, it spins away. Dickwella can’t stop it and it runs away to the fence.
Over 36: India 194/4 (Kohli 92, Jadhav 2)
Jadhav has started off well in his debut ODI. After three dots in the over, Jadhav gets down and sweeps it to fine leg for a bounle. He then waits and waits and steers it wide of short third man for a boudndary. 6 runs off the over.
Over 35: India 188/4 (Kohli 92, Jadhav 2)
Kohli rocks back adn cuts the second delivery through backward point for a boundary. 6 runs off the over and it’s the drinks break!
Over 34: India 182/4 (Kohli 87, Jadhav 1)
4 runs and a wicket off the over.
OUT! You can’t keep him out of action for long! Brilliant catch from Mathews. RV Uthappa c Mathews b Mendis 19 (21b 2×4 0x6)
Full on middle and leg, Uthappa comes forward and flicks it uppishly, Mathews at short mid-wicket dives low to his right and pouches it inches above the ground.
Over 33: India 178/3 (Kohli 86, Uthappa 17)
Sri Lanka have done well not to concede boundaries in last couple of overs. 4 runs off this over.
Over 32: India 174/3 (Kohli 85, Uthappa 14)
Just 4 runs off the Perera over. Kohli becomes the 2nd batsman to reach the 1000-run mark in ODIs in 2014.
Over 32: India 174/3 (Kohli 85, Uthappa 14)
Just 4 runs off the Perera over. Kohli becomes the 2nd batsman to reach the 1000-run mark in ODIs in 2014.
over 31: India 171/3 (Kohli 84, Uthappa 12)
This is good from Uthappa, making sure the scoreboard is kept ticking even if he is new to the crease. After 5 runs off five balls, Uthappa gets down and scoops it to fine leg for a boundary. 9 runs off the over.
Over 30: India 162/3 (Kohli 81, Uthappa 7)
Uthappa steers the second ball fine to third man for a well-palced boundary. Three runs off the next four balls make it 7 from the over.
Over 29: India 155/3 (Kohli 80, Uthappa 1)
Kohli again spoils Dilshan’s over as he sweeps the final ball of the over behind square leg for a boundary. The fielder misjudged it and slipped which allowed a boundary. 5 runs off the over.
Over 28: India 150/3 (Kohli 76, uthappa 0)
4 runs and the run out of Rayudu in that over.