Sri Lanka suffer heaviest defeat in history of ODI cricket

Rex Clementine in Trivandrum

Sri Lanka suffered the heaviest defeat ever in ODI cricket by any team as they went down to India by a mammoth 317 runs in the third ODI here in Trivandrum on Sunday. Set a target of 391 to win, Sri Lanka were shot out for 73 runs in 22 overs and it could have been lot more worse if not for the 22 run stand for the last wicket.

It was a horrific batting display by the tourists who showed no intent to put up a fight leave alone chasing down the target. All batters looked at sea against some quality fast bowling as Mohammad Shami claimed four wickets

It’s surprising that Sri Lanka have never played a game in Kerala, the closest Indian state to the island. Weather, food and landscape all look similar to Colombo but Sri Lanka were pathetic in their display as India posted a huge 390 for five in 50 overs after a masterclass by Virat Kohli.

After Shubman Gill posted his second ODI hundred, Kohli took the attack onto the bowlers reaching his 46th ODI hundred in 85 balls. It was his ninth ODI century against Sri Lanka and most by a batsman against a single opposition.

Soon after reaching the hundred, Kohli cleared the boundary for fun hitting to all parts of the Greenfield Stadium in Trivandrum.Kohli finished unbeaten on 166 off 110 deliveries with 13 fours and eight sixes.

The former Indian captain had gone through an extended bad patch having not made a century in international cricket in 1020 days. But since making a hundred against Afghanistan in September during the Asia Cup, he has now got four hundreds in 131 days including two in three matches in this series.

Sri Lanka had a huge scare when Jeffrey Vandersay and Ashen Bandara collided trying to stop a Kohli pull shot. Bandara was charging in from deep mid-wicket while Vandersay was approaching from long-leg when both fielders bumped into each other attempting to cut off the boundary. Bandara badly hurt his right knee while the other knocked his head on the field.

The two players had replaced Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage for the game. Vandersay was replaced by Wellalage as he complained of concussion while no replacement was given for Bandara as it was a knee injury.The fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara picked up two wickets each but their 20 overs cost 168 runs as Kohli massacred the bowling. Rajitha had started off well conceding one run in his first over and then bowling a maiden in his second, but soon the Indian batters got a measure of the bowling.