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India were at their best in the third ODI against Sri Lanka as well, completely demolishing their neighbouring rivals by 317 runs, their record-highest win in ODIs to wrap up the home series with a 3-0 whitewash at the Greenfield International Stadium in Trivandrum on January 15 (Sunday).
Leading the line was Virat Kohli, whose unbeaten 166, along with Shubman Gill's 116 runs, guided the team to a massive total of 390 runs for the win. With the ball, it was Mohammed Siraj who shone, with a brilliant spell of 4/32 to dismiss the Sri Lankans for a paltry 73 in 22 overs.
The Siraj show
While the score needed to secure the win for Sri Lanka was a lot, the Indian bowlers did not let their opponents get into the game at all. It was Siraj's game from the get-go, with the pacer getting some of the dangerous Sri Lankan batters. These players include Avishka Fernando (1 off 4), Kusal Mendis (4 off 7), Nuwanidu Fernando (19 off 27) and Wanindu Hasaranga (1 off 7).
While Siraj was the main threat, he was ably supported by veteran pacer Mohammed Shami (2/20) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/16), as the defending Asia Cup champions succumbed as easily as sand.
Kohli-Gill rule the roost
Earlier, Kohli received massive praise after his incredible century against Sri Lanka which took him to 46 tons in ODIs, just three less than the all-time record of 49 tons that is held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Before Kohli took over, Gill had played some high-quality strokes en route to his second ODI hundred. With that effort, he repaid the faith of the team management which had picked him to open ahead of Ishan Kishan, who came into the series with a double hundred under his belt.
The 23-run over from Lahiru Kumara in the initial stage of the innings got India going. After Rohit flicked him for a six over deep mid-wicket, Gill collected four straight boundaries off Kumara, three on the offside and one was a leg-side flick off a full toss.
Kohli began the innings with a flurry of boundaries before accumulating runs with his exemplary running between the wickets. His first of his eight sixes came in the 80s and it was a mishit over long on, leaving him in a chuckle.
He got to 99 with a boundary which came following a collision with Ashen Bandara and Jeffrey Vandersay, who both were running towards the ball from deep square leg and deep midwicket. Both the fielders were eventually stretchered off the field.
However, the former Team India skipper did break another record, scoring a brilliant 22nd ODI century at home, making him the Indian batter with the most tons at home. The previous record was also held by Tendulkar, at 21.
He was also the second player to hit a century for India on the day, joining Gill in scoring a ton. In doing so, Kohli continued his brilliant form in 2023, clearly pushing aside the blues that kept him from scoring in the last couple of years. He took just 85 balls to complete his century and become the first player to 10 ODI centuries against a single opponent, as the former India skipper turned back the clock with the shots that he played.
