IND vs SL 3rd ODI: Siraj’s four-wicket haul helps India record biggest win in ODI history

IND vs SL 3rd ODI: India thrashed Sri Lanka by a record 317 runs in the third ODI at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

With the victory in the dead rubber, Rohit Sharma and co. swept the series 3-0. Moreover, the previous biggest win in ODI cricket was recorded on July 1, 2008, when New Zealand defeated Ireland by 290 runs.

Siraj Claims 4-fer in final ODI

Pacer Mohammed Siraj (4/32) blew away the Sri Lankan top-order as India skittled out the visitors for 73 in 22 overs. Earlier, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill scored sublime centuries to help the hosts post an imposing 390 for five.

Kohli remained not out on 166 off 110 balls, while Gill struck 116 off 97 deliveries. Opting to bat after winning the toss, opener Gill and skipper Rohit Sharma (42) put on 95 runs in 15.2 overs, before Kohli struck his 46th ODI century and 74th overall in international cricket to consolidate the Indian innings. Kohli and Gill shared 131 runs for the second wicket.

Moreover, Virat Kohli was adjudged the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series. And rightly so this was the end of India’s first ODI series of the 2023. India will play their next against the BLACKCAPS. As the first of the three-match series will be played on 18 January at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

IND vs SL 3rd ODI Highlights:

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Avishka Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Ashen Bandara, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

Rohit said India have brought in off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar and in-form batter Suryakumar Yadav in place of the rested duo of Hardik Pandya and Umran Malik.

India pacer Mohammed Siraj shared his feelings after missing a well deserved fifer in the IND vs SL 3rd ODI

I wanted to try and get my first fifer. Tried very hard, but you get only as much as you deserve. The outswing was coming out nicely, but the wicket-taking over was the scrambled seam. I just try to generate some doubt in the batter’s mind with those outswing deliveries. Captain tried hard to get me that fifer, but what can we do.

While Rohit Sharma after the match mentioned that, “Good to see how he (Siraj) was bowling and he deserved all those slips. He is a rare talent, the way he has come up over the last few years is good to see. He has come from strength to strength and that’s really good for Indian cricket. We tried all sort of things (to get his fifer) but it didn’t happen unfortunately. But the four wickets are all his and fifers will come. He has a few tricks up his sleeves which he is working on and it’s there to see. We’ll get to the drawing board quickly (for the next series) and see how the pitch is, then decide how the combinations will be. They (NZ) are coming off a series win in Pakistan, so it won’t be an easy task at all.”

Also read: IND VS SL: Virat Kohli scores 166* to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most tons at Home in ODIs

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