IND vs SL: 3rd ODI Review – Kohli, Siraj lead India to biggest ODI win of all time

India registered a historic win in the third ODI of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram as they defeated the Lankan Lions by a mammoth margin of 317 runs – the largest margin of victory in ODI history, beating the previous record of 290 runs that belonged to Ne w Zealand.

The win enabled India a clean sweep in the series and helped the Rohit Sharma-led side to finish the series on a high.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, India got off to a flyer as skipper Rohit Sharma and his fellow opening partner Shubman Gill struck a 95-run stand for the opening wicket.

Kohli-Gill trounce Lankans

Rohit was looking at the top of his game but couldn’t make the most of the start he got and was dismissed at an individual score of 42. Shubman kept on going with the momentum he had gained at the start of the match and completed a superb knock as he scored 116 runs off 97 balls.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli also built on the start that was provided by the duo of Rohit and Shubman and scored a magnificent century (166* off 110 balls) and it became his new second-highest ODI score. India scored 390 in their allotted 50 overs.

Siraj runs through SL

In reply, Sri Lanka got off to a nightmarish start as Mohammed Siraj ripped through their batting order and picked up a match-winning four-wicket haul (4/32). He was supported very well by fellow pacer Mohammed Shami, who bagged two wickets while conceding 20 runs in his six overs. 

None of the Sri Lankan batters could stand up to Siraj’s sensational spell and only three of them managed to reach double digits – Nuwanidu Fernando (19), skipper Dasun Shanaka (11), and Kasun Rajitha (13*). Ashen Bandara who was involved in an ugly collision with Jeffrey Vandersay while fielding earlier in the day was absent hurt.