Top(class)-order: Virat Kohli standout performer with 45th ODI ton as India post 67-run victory against Sri Lanka

Guwahati, January 10

An authoritative Virat Kohli headlined India’s dominant performance with his 45th ODI hundred as the hosts pummelled Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first game of the three-match series here today.

Asked to bat first, India were powered by former skipper Kohli’s 87-ball 113 and fluent half-centuries from his successor Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to stack up an imposing 373/7 in 50 overs on a batting-friendly strip.

In reply, the Sri Lankans ended at 306/8 in 50 overs to hand the hosts a 1-0 lead in the rubber.

After opener Pathum Nissanka fell for 72, visiting captain Dasun Shanaka waged a lone battle and produced a counterattacking century, even as the others failed to put up any resistance. In the end, Shanaka remained not out on 108 off 88 balls.

Young speed merchants Umran Malik (3/57) and Mohammed Siraj (2/30) put the icing on the cake for the hosts in a lopsided game.

Continuing his blazing form into 2023, Kohli slammed his 73rd international hundred overall and made the Lankans pay for two dropped catches.

The exuberant Siraj once again bowled splendidly with the new ball and reduced the Islanders to 23/2 inside six overs to set the tone.

He first dismissed Avishka Fernando and then rattled Kusal Mendis’ stumps with a scorching delivery to cap a superb opening spell of 5-1-15-2, laced with 25 dot balls.

But Nissanka held on and stood in crucial partnerships with Dhananjaya de Silva (47) and Charith Asalanka (23) when India operated with spin twins Yuzvendra Chahal (1/58) and Axar Patel (0/32 from five overs) in the middle overs.

Amid heavy dew, Malik came to bowl in the middle overs and struck thrice, dismissing Asalanka, Nissanka and Dunith Wellalage to reduce Lanka to 179/7 in 33.2 overs.

From thereon, Shanaka held the fort en route his second ODI century that came on the penultimate ball of their innings, after Sharma withdrew an appeal for run out at the non-striker’s end after the batter had backed up too far.

Kohli, who scored 113 against Bangladesh in Chattogram in India’s last ODI, continued from where he left off. Kohli’s class was on full display as he smashed 12 fours and a six and held on to one end while wickets fell at regular intervals in the middle overs.

This was Kohli’s third hundred from three ODIs at Guwahati — two here at the Barsapara ground and one at the Nehru Stadium.

He was dropped twice — on 52 and 81 — on his way to his 45th ODI century, four shy of maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 49 hundreds in the 50-over format.

Sharma responded to the criticism of benching the in-form duo of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav by giving India a solid start in the company of Gill.

The Indian skipper had preferred Gill over Ishan, who had to sit out despite a record-breaking 210 in his last ODI.

He slammed a 67-ball 83 in a knock of sheer domination. On a flat deck, Sharma was at ease while stepping out to the Lankan pacers, and also pulled them with nonchalance.

Gill was also at his fluent best and complemented his skipper while keeping his flair and elegance intact. Continuing his dream run in ODIs, Gill brought up his fifth half-century off 51 balls. — PTI

Scoreboard

India 373

R Sharma b Madushanka 83

S Gill lbw b Shanaka 70

V Kohli c Mendis b Rajitha 113

S Iyer c Fernando b DM de Silva 28

KL Rahul b Rajitha 39

H Pandya c PWH de Silva b Rajitha 14

A Patel c Fernando b Karunaratne 9

M Shami not out 4

M Siraj not out 7

Extras: (lb 1, w 5) 6

Total: (7 wickets, 50 overs) 373

FOW: 1-143, 2-173, 3-213, 4-303, 5-330, 6-362, 7-364

Bowling O M R W

Kasun Rajitha 10 0 88 3

Dilshan Madushanka 6 0 43 1

Wanindu Hasaranga 10 0 67 0

Chamika Karunaratne 8 0 54 1

Dunith Wellalage 8 0 65 0

Dasun Shanaka 3 0 22 1

Dhananjaya de Silva 5 0 33 1

Sri Lanka 306

P Nissanka c Patel b Malik 72

A Fernando c Pandya b Siraj 5

K Mendis b Siraj 0

C Asalanka c Rahul b Malik 23

D de Silva c Rahul b Shami 47

D Shanaka not out 108

W Hasaranga c Iyer b Chahal 16

D Wellalage c Gill b Malik 0

C Karunaratne c Sharma b Pandya 14

K Rajitha not out 9

Extras: (lb 3, w 9) 12

Total: (8 wickets, 50 overs) 306

FOW: 1-19, 2-23, 3-64, 4-136, 5-161, 6-178, 7-179, 8-206

Bowling O M R W

Mohammed Shami 9 0 67 1

Mohammed Siraj 7 1 30 2

Hardik Pandya 6 0 33 1

Umran Malik 8 0 57 3

Yuzvendra Chahal 10 0 58 1

Axar Patel 10 0 58 0

Player of the match: Virat Kohli

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