Kohli, Rohit smash centuries in thumping victory

Kohli and Rohit shared 219 runs for the second wicket off just 168 balls.

India - 375 for 5 (Kohli 131, Rohit 104, Pandey 50*, Dhoni 49*, Mathews 2-24)
Sri Lanka - 207 (Mathews 70, Kuldeep 2-31, Bumrah 2-32, Pandya 2-50)
Results - India won by 168 runs

Colombo: India amassed 375 before dismissing Sri Lanka 207 and beat by 168-runs in the fourth one-day international in Colombo on Thursday.
 
India to take a 4-0 lead in the ODI series, final match played on Sunday.

Chasing a record target of 376 runs, Sri Lanka were off to a torrid start losing opener Niroshan Dickwell and Kusal Mendis in quick succession.

Debutant Shardul Thakur got his first-ever international wicket courtesy DRS. Dhoni who is a hawk behind the stumps urged skipper to opt for DRS, a decision that reaped good result; Niroshan was out leg-before 14. Kusal was run out for 1 trying an in improbable single against KL Rahul’s arm.

Dhoni was at it again. His conviction that Dilshan Munaweera gloved Jasprit Bumrah for 11 hold good as DRS for the second time went in India’s favour. Virat Kohli came into to bowl ahead of Kuldeep Yadav and Akshar Patel.

Lahiru Thirmanne and Angelo Mathews brought in some credibility to the hosts’ innings. They ensured Sri Lanka go past 50 without further mess.

Thirmanne after pulling Pandya for a six on the previous delivery fell for 18. A short and wide ball by Pandya was smacked by Thirimanne straight into the hands of fielder at sweeper cover.

Milinda Siriwardana came out at No.5. Slowly and steadily Siriwardana added 50 runs in 59 balls with Mathews contributing the most.

Siriwardana fell in the same fashion as Thirimanne off Pandya. He took whipped him for a six to perish on the very next delivery for 43-ball 39. His wicket brought an end to a 73 run stand.

Mathews reached his fifty in 61 balls as Wanidu Hasaranga joined him at the crease. The pair added 36 runs before Hasaranga was run out for runs-a-ball 22.

Fighting an alone battle, Mathews too fell for 70. Akshar Patel bowled a slower-one that found the bottom of Mathews bat and lobbed in the air to Thakur.

Earlier, captain Kohli and Sharma slammed quickfire tons as India flayed a hapless Sri Lanka to post 375-5.

The batsmen shared 219 runs for the second wicket off just 168 balls after the visitors won the toss and elected to bat.

Kohli batted with gay abandon, hitting 17 fours and two sixes in his 96-ball 131.

Sharma (104) hammered 11 fours and three sixes in an equally entertaining innings off 88 balls.

Kohli was dismissed by Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Lasith Malinga who completed 300 Test wickets, the 13th bowler overall and fourth Sri Lankan to achieve the feat.

Kohli reached his 29th ODI century off just 76 balls with a boundary off Milinda Siriwardana to the square-leg fence as he toyed with the bowling attack.

Angelo Mathews put the brakes on the scoring when he dismissed Hardik Pandya (19) and Sharma off consecutive balls.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made 49 not out, became only the sixth Indian and the second wicketkeeper-batsman after Kumar Sangakkara to play 300 ODIs.

He also shared 101 runs with Manish Pandey (50 not out) after the visitors were reduced to 274-5.