COLOMBO: Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed a career- best 5/42 effecting yet another batting collapse as India skittled out Sri Lanka for 238 in the fifth and final One Day International, here today.
Sri Lankan batting once again promised a lot but delivered too little losing as many as seven wickets for 53 runs after they were cruising along at 185 for 3.
A 122-run partnership for the 4th wicket between Lahiru Thirimanne (67) and Angelo Mathews (55) enabled Sri Lanka to reach a position of safety before Bhuvneshwar led the charge with his maiden five-wicket haul. Jasprit Bumrah (2/45), Kuldeep Yadav (1/40) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/36) were the other wicket-takers.
Upul Tharanga (48) opened the innings with Niroshan Dickwella (2) then, and the latter was dismissed in the third over offering a simple return catch to Bhuvneshwar.
Shardul Thakur (0-48 in 6 overs) was completely off colour on the day though, and he was taken for runs by Tharanga, who hit successive boundaries off him, with the 50 came up off 47 balls.
He added 26 runs with Dilshan Munaweera (4) who was dropped to No 3, but then the hosts were jolted in the space of three overs.
Virat Kohli took a brilliant catch at mid-off going backwards to dismiss Munaweera off Bhuvneshwar in the seventh over. Bumrah then had Tharanga was caught behind in the 10th over.
It was a familiar story for Sri Lanka as the scoreboard read 64/3 after the first powerplay. Thirimanne and Mathews though defied the Indian bowling for 29.3 overs as they put on the hosts’ highest stand throughout this five-match series. Their 50-partnership came off 65 balls as Lanka crossed 100 in the 18th over. (AGENCIES)
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