Continuing their solid form, India thumped Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first ODI of the five-match series at Dambulla on Sunday. Opener Shikhar Dhawan (132*) and skipper Virat Kohli (82*) knitted an unbeaten 197-run stand that helped India to register their biggest win in terms of balls to spare while chasing a target over 200. Despite the comeback of old warhorse Lasith Malinga, Sri Lankan bowlers failed to put up any challenge against the strong Indian batting lineup.
Earlier, the hosts got off to a strong start and once look set for a total of close to 300. But it was the Indian spinners who choked the Lankans with some tight bowling taking 9 for 77 to push the hosts off the track and restricted them to a paltry total of 216. A lot of soul-searching is the need of the hour for the Islanders if they want to stay alive in the series. (SCORECARD)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM INDIA VS SRI LANKA, 1ST ODI AT DAMBULLA
INDIA INNINGS
21.06 IST: So that's it from us for this game. We hope you enjoyed our coverage. India absolutely mauled Sri Lanka and will aim for more of the same in the coming games. The second ODI will be played on the 24th of August 2017 at 1430 local (0900 GMT) at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Until then, it's goodbye and take care!
20.59 IST: Virat Kohli says that Sri Lanka got off to a really good start and it did have them under pressure for some time now. Calls it a really good wicket to bat which is why they chose to chase since it is easy to play your strokes under lights. Credits the bowlers for getting the breakthroughs. Lauds Dhawan's efforts and credits him for cashing in and making the chances count. Hopes that they keep Dhawan in the good zone as he can win them games by himself. Mentions that they have started planning for the World Cup in 2019 and are happy to take on challenges. Informs that there will be quite a few surprises in the coming games. On not playing Kuldeep Yadav, he responds by saying that Patel bats well and they were happy with only wrist spinner playing. Further adds that it is always about the balance of the side.
20.56 IST: Upul Tharanga says that once the Indians capitalized it became really difficult. Reckons that they were aiming for 300 while batting and to reach that someone has to convert and carry on to big a good score but none could. Ends by saying that they will have to learn from their mistakes and be consistent with both the bat and the ball.
20.55 IST:
20.51 IST: Man of the Match, Shikhar Dhawan says that things are going very well for him and he is just playing his natural game. Reckons that his performances are letting him play freely. Mentions that he went in with a positive intent and that worked in favour of him.
20.39 IST: Nothing much to write really! India chased down 217 with ages to spare and the only wicket that Sri Lanka managed was due to the fault of the Indian opener. Both Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli had an extended nets session out in the middle as the bowlers for the hosts failed to create any pressure. Dhawan helped himself to a ton while the Indian skipper notched up a fifty for his own.
20.32 IST: FOUR! India win by 9 wickets! Loops it around off, Dhawan comes down and just eases it through the mid off region for a boundary. That's it, India have strolled to a win here. IND 220/1 in 28.5 overs beat Sri Lanka 216
20.30 IST: FOUR! Nicely done! Fuller around off, Kohli just smashes it down the ground for a boundary. Nobody moved there. India need only 3 more! IND 214/4 in 28 overs
20.27 IST: Just 11 needed now, even if India forfeit ten overs, they can sleep to a win. IND 206/1 in 27 overs
20.26 IST: SIX! Shot of the match, by some distance! Sandakan bowls it around off, Kohli gets under it and just punches it over the head of the bowler for a maximum. Dhawan and him are having their own mini battle here. IND 203/1 in 26.3 overs
20.25 IST: FOUR! Fires it down the leg side, Virat does not miss out and sweeps it through the backward square leg region for a boundary. IND 197/1 in 26.2 overs
20.24 IST: FOUR! Slammed! Fuller on middle and leg, Kohli gets under it and whips it over the mid-wicket region for a boundary. IND 193/1 in 26.1 overs
20.21 IST: FOUR! Smacked that, not at all on the floor! Short and outside off, Dhawan gets across and pulls it in the air over the square leg region for a boundary. IND 189/1 in 25.4 overs
20.19 IST: DROPPED! Good length around middle and leg, Dhawan wants to put it out of Sri Lanka but top edges it. Tharanga gets under it at mid-on. He runs back and looks to take but was never in control of it. Nothing, nothing working for the home side. IND 183/1 in 25.1 overs
Lasith Malinga is back into the attack!
20.18 IST: SIX! Dhawan wants to finish in style! Fuller and outside off, Shikhar comes down and clobbers it high and handsome over the long off fence for a maximum. Hit that with the wind there. IND 181/1 in 25 overs
20.15 IST: FOUR! Mistimed for a boundary! Shorter in length, Dhawan goes back to punch but gets it off the inner half wide of the mid on fielder for a boundary. Everything is going in his favour here. IND 172/1 in 24.1 overs
20.13 IST: FOUR! Hit away! This time he gets it just over the head of the mid off fielder for a boundary. This is all too easy for the Indian opener. IND 168/1 in 24 overs
20.11 IST: FOUR! Up and over! Full and outside off, Kohli gets under it and slices it over the mid off fielder. The ball trickles into the ropes for a boundary. IND 163/1 in 23 overs
20.09 IST: Kohli nudges it through the mid-wicket region for a single. He raises his bat to acknowledge the applause. 44th ODI fifty for Virat Kohli! IND 156/1
20.06 IST: FOUR! Fastest century for an Indian in an ODI against SL in a chase! Hasaranga drops it short and outside off, Shikhar goes back and dabs it towards the third man region. The fielder gives it a chase but cannot cut it off. That is also a century for Dhawan, his 11th in all in ODIs! He celebrates it like he always does, with a beaming smile and arms spread wide like Sharukh Khan. He has really nailed the opening slot now. IND 155/1 in 22 overs
20.05 IST: FOUR! Inches closer to the ton! Fuller and down the leg side, Dhawan accepts the gift and sweeps it through the backward square leg region for a boundary. IND 151/1 in 21.5 overs
20.04 IST: FOUR! Hit away! Fuller on middle, Dhawan comes down and drills it through the mid off region for a boundary. He is toying with the field here. IND 147/1 in 21.2 overs
20.00 IST: FOUR! Bad ball and punished! A nothing delivery, shorter but wide outside off, Kohli pulls it hard through wide mid on for a boundary. All at ease. IND 139/1 in 20.1 overs
Vishwa Fernando returns for a bowl.
19.58 IST: Kohli comes forward and drives it through mid off for a single. 4 runs from the over IND 135/1 in 20 overs
19.55 IST: FOUR! Sublime! Dhawan comes down and takes this on the full, gets it through past the short extra cover fielder for a boundary. IND 131/1 in 19 overs
This brings up the 100-run stand between Dhawan and Kohli!
19.54 IST: FOUR! Dhawan continues to flow! Flatter outside off, Dhawan fetches it and reverse sweeps it behind point for a boundary. IND 124/1 in 18.1 overs
19.53 IST: Dhawan plants the front foot right forward to smother it away into the cover-point region, 7 runs from the over. IND 120/1 in 18 overs
19.51 IST: FOUR! Bad ball and punished! Drops it short around leg, Dhawan goes back and pumps it through the square leg region for a boundary. IND 117/1 in 17.1 overs
Wanidu Hasaranga to bowl. India need 104 more in 33 overs.
19.49 IST: Kohli goes back and punches it through mid-wicket for a single. 4 runs from Sandakan's over. IND 113/1 in 17 overs
Time from Drinks! India are cruising towards victory banking on the fluent knocks of Dhawan and Kohli. Sri Lanka will need to pull off a surprise if they hope to hold a chance in the game.
19.43 IST: 5 runs from Thisara Perera's over. IND 109/1 in 16 overs
19.40 IST: FOUR! Brilliant! Fuller delivery outside off, Kohli leans forward and drives it down the ground off the inner half through the mid off region for a boundary. IND 108/1 in 15.2 overs
19.39 IST: FOUR! Cheeky! Floated outside off, Shikhar stays in his crease and fancies the reverse sweep. Gets it through the third man region for a boundary. He is toying with the field today. IND 104/1 in 15 overs
19.36 IST: FOUR! Fantastic! Full toss outside off from Sandakan, Dhawan dances down the track and creams it through the cover region for a boundary. IND 98/1 in 14.1 overs
19.35 IST: IND 94/1 in 14 overs
19.33 IST: SIX! Crazy batting! Short delivery into the batsman, Shikhar stands tall and goes for the pull. Gets a top edge on it and the ball flies over the fine leg fence for half a dozen. One bounce for the over signals the umpire. IND 93/1 in 13.3 overs
22nd ODI fifty for Shikhar Dhawan!
19.30 IST: SIX! That's half-century for Shikhar Dhawan! Shorter delivery in line of the stumps, Dhawan camps back and pulls it with power this time. Gets it over the mid-wicket boundary for a biggie. The southpaw will want to continue in the same way. IND 84/1 in 12.4 overs
Lakshan Sandakan is called into the attack. Can the spinner break this partnership?
19.27 IST: Kohli gets forward and uses his wrist to flick it beautifully through the mid-wicket region for a brace. 7 runs from Malinga's over. IND 78/1 in 12 overs
19.23 IST: Short delivery into the batsman, Dhawan pulls it towards deep backward square leg for a single. 50-run stand between Dhawan and Kohli. IND 73/1 in 11.2 overs
Lasith Malinga back in the attack!
19.21 IST: Length delivery outside off from Mathews, punched off the back foot towards the fielder at point. 7 runs from Mathews over. IND 71/1 in 11 overs
19.18 IST: FOUR! Sublime! Fuller delivery in line of the pads, Kohli joins the act as well as he just lunges a bit forward and clips it elegantly through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. IND 68/1 in 10.1 overs
Powerplay 2. Four fielders are now allowed outside the circle till the end of the 40th over.
19.16 IST: FOUR! Nothing is going to change the end result! Even after changing the field, Dhawan manages to crunch this boundary through the backward point region. IND 64/1 in 10 overs
19.15 IST: FOUR! Dhawan is only dealing in boundaries! Back of a length delivery outside off, Shikhar hangs back and caresses his punch through the point region for a boundary. IND 60/1 in
19.14 IST: FOUR! Woah, such timing! Length around off, Kohli shuffles across and wrists it beautifully through the wide mid on region for a boundary. IND 55/1 in 9.2 overs
Thisara Perera comes on for a bowl.
19.12 IST: Length delivery around off, punched towards extra cover, 2 runs from the over. IND 55/1 in 9 overs
Angelo Mathews is introduced into the attack. He will be bowling after a long break. Can he produce the breakthrough?
19.07 IST: FOUR! Now that's a top shot! Short delivery outside off, Kohli stands tall and crashes that through the cover region to end the over on a high with a boundary. IND 49/1 in 8 overs
19.06 IST: FOUR! Freebies! Sprayed full and drifting into the pads, Virat on his worst days can also put these away. Just the slightest of clips and the ball races away to the fence. IND 45/1 in 7.5 overs
19.04 IST: FOUR! You don't bowl those to Dhawan today! Short delivery outside off, Shikhar reads the length really early. Goes back a touch and pulls it over the mid-wicket region for a boundary. IND 40/1 in 7.1 overs
19.03 IST: FOUR! Boom! There is no stopping this man! Short delivery in line of the stumps, Dhawan stays deep in his crease and pulls it past the mid-wicket fielder for a boundary. IND 36/1 in 7 overs
18.59 IST: FOUR! Sheer timing! Length around off, Dhawan leans forward and punches it through the cover-point region for a lovely boundary. 7 runs from the over. IND 30/1 in 6 overs
Skipper Virat Kohli comes out to bat.
18.55 IST: RUN OUT! As unlucky as you can get! Rohit stays behind the line of the ball and pushes it towards the cover region. He calls for a single, the fielder rushes towards the ball and has a shy at the non-striker's end. A direct hit is scored and Rohit seems to have lost his bat on the process of completing the run. The players appeal and the umpire goes upstairs. Replays show that the bat got stuck just before the crease and Sharma was in air when the ball hit the stumps. A lazy effort from Rohit and he has no one else to blame. IND 23/1 in 5 overs
18.52 IST: The umpires have gone upstairs for a run out appeal against Rohit Sharma!
18.48 IST: Dhawan tries to push in line. Gets an inside edge towards long leg for a couple. Another good over from Fernando. IND 21/0 in 4 overs
18.43 IST: FOUR! Length delivery around off, Dhawan presses forward and punches it through the gap between covers for another elegant over. A costly over this for the Lankans! 9 runs from it. IND 18/0 in 3 overs
18.41 IST: FOUR! Great shot! Fuller delivery outside off, Dhawan cashes on the width and smacks that through the cover region for a boundary. There is no stopping these! IND 14/0 in 2.4 overs
18.38 IST: A bit fuller in length, Shikhar mistimes his drive towards the fielder at mid on. Good over from the debutant Fernando. IND 9/0 in 2 overs
18.37 IST: WIDE! Sprayed down the leg side, Dhawan fails to clip it through. The umpire spreads his arms. IND 9/0 in 1.4 overs
18.35 IST: FOUR! Crunched! Fuller delivery outside off to start with, Dhawan leans forward and smashes it aerially through the extra cover region for a boundary. He is in ominous form. IND 8/0 in 1.1 overs
Vishwa Fernando to bowl from the other end with the second new ball.
18.33 IST: Length delivery around off, Sharma stays back and punches it back to the bowler. Tidy start from Lasith Malinga, just four runs from the over. IND 4/0 in 1 over
18.30
IST:18.27 IST: Welcome back for the chase! Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan come out to bat. Sri Lanka begin with Lasith Malinga! Two slips in place for him. Here we go...
17.51 IST:
17.44 IST: OUT! The two-card trick does it! Bumrah now bowls it on the stumps, fuller length, Fernando plays all around it and has his furniture disturbed. Mathews is left stranded. Sri Lanka bowled out for 216!
17.42 IST: FOUR! Edged but wide of the keeper! Good length outside off, Mathews looks to poke at it. He gets an edge which runs down to the third man fence. Dhoni dived but could not get to the ball. SL 216/9 in 43 overs
17.37 IST: Stays back and turns one towards the leg side. End of a decent spell for the Indian leggie. 4 runs and a wicket from Chahal's final over. SL 209/9 in 42 overs
17.33 IST: OUT! Stumped off a wide, the plan works! Chahal was expecting the charge and bowls it wide outside off. Malinga comes down to have a go but cannot reach it. Dhoni has ages to stump the Lankan pacer. That is a smart wicket taken by India. SL 209/9 in 41.2 overs
17.31 IST: Loops it outside off, Malinga defends it to covers. Patel ends with career best figures in ODIs. 9 runs from it. SL 205/8 in 41 overs
17.29 IST: SIX! Malinga goes big! Patel bowls in the slot, Lasith comes down and launches it over the mid-wicket region for a biggie. Mathews likes it. SL 203/8 in 40.3 overs
17.28 IST: Good over for the hosts, 9 runs from it. SL 196/8 in 40 overs
17.25 IST: SIX! Clobbered! Looped outside off, Mathews gets under it and slog sweeps it over the wide long on fence for a biggie. First one of the game! First boundary after 14 overs. SL 193/8 in 39.2 overs
Lasith Malinga is the penultimate man in!
17.23 IST: OUT! Axar strikes yet again! Angles it around off, the arm ball, Sandakan looks to turn it to the leg side but is rapped on his pads. The players appeal and the umpire rules it out. There is no review left to use, Sandakan has to walk back. Mathews continues to lose out on partners. SL 187/8 in 39 overs
17.16 IST: Axar Patel angles it into the pads, to stop the single, fails though as Angelo finds the gap at mid off for a run. SL 179/7 in 37 overs SL 179/7 in 37 overs
17.12 IST: OUT! Boom, Boom, Bumrah! Spears in a yorker on middle, Perera looks to play a shot but fails to put bat to ball. It crashes into the stumps and that is it for Thisara. The comeback does not last long and yeah, maybe I jinxed him. SL 178/7 in 36 overs
17.07 IST: Just 2 runs and a wicket from Patel's over. SL 177/6 in 35 overs
Thisara Perera is the man in.
17.04 IST: OUT! Another one bites the dust! Lands it around middle and leg, Hasaranga comes down to go big but gets a top edge. The ball skies towards long on. Jadhav back pedals and takes a tumbling catch. That is a another wicket for India. Jadhav gets up and holds his bum in pain. Patel strikes. SL 176/6 in 34.2 overs
17.00 IST: FOUR Leg Byes! Too full on the stumps, Hasaranga looks to clip but the ball goes off the pads and runs into the fine leg fence for a boundary. The umpire signals it leg byes. SL 173/5 in 33.3 overs
16.58 IST: OUT! Chamara, oh Chamara! Back of a length outside off, Mathews taps it into covers and Kapugedera calls him through for a single. The fielder scores a direct hit at the striker's end with a quick throw. It is referred upstairs and replays find Kapugedera short of the crease. That was always risky and he found out that the Indian skipper was too quick for him. SL 169/5 in 33.2 overs SL 169/5 in 33.2 overs
16.57 IST: The umpire have gone upstairs for a run out appeal against Chamara Kapugedara!
Bowling change, Jasprit Bumrah brought back on.
16.55 IST: Just four runs and a wicket from Jadhav's over. SL 169/4 in 33 overs
Time for Drinks!
Chamara Kapugedara strides out to the middle.
16.49 IST: OUT! Surely Kedar Jadhav has a golden arm! Whatever he touched turns into gold and this is just an example here! Bowls a full toss outside off, Upul Tharanga looks of clearing Dambulla but fails to time it as he wanted to. Goes straight to the fielder at long on. Dhawan accepts it gleefully and Jadhav has a sly smile on his face. This could turn out to be the differential wicket. SL 166/4 in 32.2 overs
16.46 IST: Mathews clips it a bit to the right of the mid-wicket fielder and calls for a quick single. Completes it easily in the end. India slower ball bowlers building up the pressure. Just 3 runs from Axar Patel's over. SL 165/3 in 32 overs
16.42 IST: 4 runs from the over, another tidy one from Chahal. SL 162/3 in 31 overs
16.41 IST: Tossed up around middle and leg from Chahal, Tharanga chips it over the mid-wicket region for a couple. SL 160/3 in 30.3 overs
16.38 IST: Fuller around middle and leg from Chahal, clipped straight towards the fielder at mid-wicket. Just four from the over. SL 156/3 in 29 overs
16.35 IST: Quicker around off, Tharanga goes for the push. Gets it off the inside edge past the stumps for a single. 2 runs and a wicket from Axar's over. SL 152/3 in 28 overs
Angelo Mathews walks out next.
16.30 IST: OUT! Axar launches a missile himself! Fires this one in line of the stumps at 105 kmph, Mendis (36) dances down the track and tries to clip the rocket this time. Misses it completely and finds his leg stump rattled. The missile from Axar does the job for India and Kusal had no idea about it. SL 150/3 in 27.1 overs
16.25 IST: FOUR! Deft! Again a bit pace and in line of the stumps, Mendis shuffles a touch and clips it really fine past the keeper for a boundary. Good shot, this! SL 146/2 in 26 overs
16.23 IST: Into the pads from Jadhav, Mendis clips it towards the fielder at short fine leg. No runs taken. A good over for India! SL 141/2 in 25 overs
Skipper Upul Tharanga is the next man in.
16.21 IST: OUT! That's plumb! Fires this one in line of the stumps, Dickwella gets forward and tries to paddle it fine down the leg side. Misses it completely and gets rapped on the front pad. The players appeal and the umpire is quick to raise his finger. Dickwella thinks a bit and opts for the review. Replays show that it was plumb and Sri Lanka have wasted a review. SL 139/2 in 24.3 overs
16.19 IST: A delayed review from Dickwella for an lbw decision against him. Looked plumb to the naked eye.
16.18 IST: FOUR! Fuller outside off, Mendis carves it past the backward point region. Rohit gives it a chase from short third man but he was never even close to stopping it. SL 139/1 in 24.2 overs
16.17 IST: Just 2 runs from Axar Patel's over. SL 134/1 in 24 overs
16.13 IST: Flatter around leg, Mendis stays in his crease and clips it towards the fielder at square leg. SL 132/1 in 23 overs
16.12 IST: FOUR! Risky but worth it! Shorter around off, Dickwella presses back and slams the pull just over the mid-wicket region for a boundary. Back-to-back boundaries this! SL 131/1 in 22.3 overs
16.11 IST: FOUR! Fine shot! Around off, Dickwella dances down the track and whips it elegantly over the mid-wicket region for a boundary. SL 127/1 in 22.2 overs
16.08 IST: Good start this! Shorter around off, Dickwella punches it through covers for a single. Niroshan makes another fifty and he seems to be in a good knick. 5th ODI fifty for Niroshan Dickwella! SL 121/1 in 21.4 overs
Axar Patel comes on for a bowl.
16.06 IST: Just a single from Jadhav's first over. SL 118/1 in 21 overs
Kedar Jadhav is introduced into the attack.
16.02 IST: FOUR! Floated outisde off, Mendis presses forward in defence. Gets a thick outside edge on it and the ball runs through the vacant slip region for a boundary. SL 117/1 in 19.5 overs
16.00 IST: FOUR! Fantastic batting! Floated in line of the stumps, Mendis gets a tad forward and drives it straight down the ground. Past the mid on fielder for a boundary. SL 111/1 in 19.2 overs
15.59 IST: FOUR! Top shot! Floated outside off, Mendis has time on his side, goes for the slog sweep. Gets it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. SL 107/1 in 19.1 overs
15.58 IST: Angles it on the pads, Mendis flicked towards fine leg for a single. SL 103/1 in 19 overs
15.56 IST: Well played and a good effort in the deep! Back of a length delivery outside off, Dickwella stays in his crease and ramps it really late over the keeper's head. Kedar Jadhav runs across from third man and puts in a dive to save the boundary. A valiant effort this and after too many replays the umpire gives it in favour of the fielder. Two runs taken. 100 up for Sri Lanka! SL 100/1 in 18.2 overs
Hardik Pandya is called back to bowl.
15.52 IST: Fuller around middle and leg, driven towards long on for a single. 10 runs from the over, a good one for Sri Lanka. SL 97/1 in 18 overs
15.51 IST: FOUR! Good placement! Bowls this one way down the leg side, Mendis kneels down and sweeps it through the backward square leg region for a boundary. SL 96/1 in 17.5 overs
15.49 IST: Back of a length delivery outside off, Mendis camps back and defends it. 6 runs from Bumrah's over SL 87/1 in 17 overs
15.48 IST: Run out chance goes down! A bit shorter outside off, Dickwella shuffles across and taps it towards point and calls for a single. Rahul collects the ball and has a shy at the non-striker's end. He misses but had he hit, Niroshan would have been gone by a mile. SL 87/1 in 16.5 overs
Time for Drinks! The home side has begun well despite losing the toss. Niroshan Dickwella has looked good and will be hoping to make a big score. India will want to keep taking wickets.
15.41 IST: FOUR! Nicely hit! Shorter outside off, Dickwella goes back and cuts it through the covers for a boundary. That was too short by Chahal. SL 81/1 in 16 overs
15.38 IST: Well bowled! Slants one around off, nips back in a long way, Mendis aims to clip it through but is cut into two halves. Dhoni cannot collect and Bumrah's excitement is short lived as there was nothing there.Just a single from Bumrah's over. SL 75/1 in 15 overs
Kusal Mendis comes in to bat.
15.33 IST: OUT! The pressure strikes and Gunathilaka throws it away! Chahal bowls it around leg, Danushka looks to reverse sweep it. Gets it off the toe end of the bat and Rahul accepts the dolly at covers. The opener is not happy with himself but he has only himself to blame. Chahal deserved the wicket after his good beginning. SL 74/1 in 14 overs
15.31 IST: NOT OUT! Dickwella comes down the wicket to go big, Chahal fires it wide around off. Niroshan gets it towards covers and wants a single. Gunathilaka sends him back and there is a direct hit at the striker's end. Rahul is not too confident though. Replays show why, Dickwella had got in with the dive. He is not happy with his partner though since it was his call. SL 73/0
15.30 IST: The umpire has gone upstairs for a run out appeal against Dickwella.
15.29 IST: Slower one on middle, clipped through mid-wicket for a single. This is a really good start for the home side and they can really take the attack to India from this position. SL 73/0 in 13 overs
15.28 IST: WIDE! Another slower one is spilled down the leg side, Dickwella cannot clip it through. SL 72/0 in 12.5 overs
15.24 IST: Gets forward and turns one through mid on for a run, 3 runs from Chahal's over. SL 68/0 in 12 overs
Double change, time for Yuzvendra Chahal.
15.21 IST: Length around off, worked towards mid-wicket by the batsman. Another good over for the hosts, 9 runs from it. SL 64/0 in 11 overs
15.18 IST: FOUR! Just wide! Full and outside off, Dickwella goes after it. Closes the face of the bat in time to get it past the mid on fielder for a boundary. He also hit that with the wind so it did not go to the fielder. SL 60/0 in 10.3 overs
Powerplay 2 time! Five fielders are now allowed outside the circle till the end of the 40th over. Jasprit Bumrah to bowl now.
15.16 IST: Pandya bowls it in line of the stumps, Dickwella aims to angle it through the gap at covers but finds the fielder. A very good Powerplay for the home side. SL 55/0 in 10 overs
15.10 IST: FOUR! Well played! Shorter and outside off, Dickwella rides the bounce and taps it between short third man and backward point for a boundary. 50 up for the home side. SL 52/0 in 9 overs
15.06 IST: Pandya goes wide of the crease and angles a slower one on off, pushes into covers for a single. Very good over for Sri Lanka, 11 from it. SL 43/0 in 8 overs
15.04 IST: FOUR! Bad ball and punished! Pandya bowls a length ball around off, Gunathilaka was waiting for it and pulls it over the mid-wicket region for a boundary. One reckons these two are now going to play their shots, having spent enough time at the wicket. SL 42/0 in 7.4 overs
15.03 IST: FOUR! Hit away! This time he beats the fielder! Short and outside off, Gunathilaka makes room and cracks it through the diving backward point fielder for a boundary. Good shot, that. SL 38/0 in 7.3 overs
15.01 IST: A decent over from Bhuvneshwar. He gives away 5 runs. SL 32/0 in 7 overs
14.54 IST: FOUR! Inside edge and a boundary for Dickwella. Pandya can't really do much about it. Dickwella dances around the crease, Pandya bowls it on the stumps, the batsman looks to force it through the off side but gets an inside edge past his stumps for a boundary to fine leg. SL 27/0 in 6 overs
14.52 IST: Great comeback from Bhuvneshwar. He concedes just one run. SL 21/0 in 5 overs
14.47 IST: Good over from pandya, just a single off it. SL 20/0 in 4 overs
14.43 IST: Bhuvnmeshwar Kumar gives away 10 runs. SL 19/0 in 3 overs
14.42 IST: FOUR! Another one for Gunathulaka. He plays it on the up and towards deep extra cover. Turning out to be an expensive over from Buvi.
14.40 IST: FOUR! Tonk! Length ball around off, Dickwella gets under it and just clips it over the mid-wicket fielder for a boundary. That was hit really well.
14.37 IST: FOUR! Good shot by Gunathilaka. He brings up the first boundary of the Lankan innings. Full but on the pads, Gunathilaka clips it in the air but in the gap at mid-wicket for a boundary. That was neatly done as it was in the gap. SL 9/1 in 2 overs
14.35 IST: Hardik Pandya to share the new ball with Bhuvneshwar. Surprised not to see Jasprit Bumrah bowling with the new ball.
14.34 IST: Good start for India, just a single off Bhuvneshwar's first over. SL 1/0 in 1 over
14.31 IST: Edged! Starts off with a fuller length ball outside off, Dickwella pokes at it and gets an outside edge which falls short of the second slip fielder. Good start for Kumar!
14.29 IST: The two Sri Lankan openers are Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to start the proceedings for India. Two slips in place. Here we go!
14.25 IST: The players have made their way into the middle and it's time for the National Anthems.
14.15 IST: Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Lokesh Rahul, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga (c), Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Wanidu Hasaranga, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lasith Malinga
14.05 IST: Captain's Corner
Virat Kohli: We are going to chase. It has been a while that we played on this track. The track does not have as much grass cover as it used to have. Should be a wicket to enjoy batting on. We love chasing. You have a bit of advantage winning the toss. But you have to execute your skills. I was sitting on the same chair I was sitting 9 years ago. Have some happy memories (made his debut here). The idea is to improve even after we have won games. As I said, you have to start well, be boring at times. Four guys who miss out are: Manish Pandey, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane.
Upul Tharanga: We were going to bat first here. Looks like a good wicket. In the last series as well, the team batting first scored some good runs. I told boys to forget the Test series. People like Lasith coming is a positive. Chamara Kapugedera, Thisara Perera come in. Vishwa Fernando also comes in.
14.00 IST: TOSS! India win toss, opt to bowl against Sri Lanka on a humid day in Dambulla.
13.50 IST: Read: Can Sri Lanka pack a punch in limited-overs after thrashing in Tests?
With a 3-0 clean sweep in the Test series, Virat Kohli’s men once again flexed their muscles in cricket’s most challenging format beating the young and listless Sri Lankan team in their own backyard. The whitewash against Sri Lanka is regarded as the most dominant and ruthless performance by Team India across all conditions. The visitors had first-innings leads of more than 300 runs in all three Tests which clearly speak about the gulf in quality between the two sides. In simple terms – the Indians outplayed Sri Lanka in all facets of the game.
13.45 IST: Rahul has only played six ODIs thus far in his short injury-prone career, and in all of them, he has opened the innings. He started with a bang scoring a maiden hundred on his ODI debut in Zimbabwe in the summer of 2016 and then added a half-century later in the series as well.
His next three ODIs came earlier in January against England, wherein he opened the innings again, but only managed 24 runs in three innings.
13.30 IST: The Indian think-tank has made a lot of moves in this regard, and prima facie, the most important of them at present is the simple declaration that KL Rahul will bat at no.4 throughout this five-match contest.
Brief Preview: Fresh from a 3-0 Test cricket series whitewash over Sri Lanka, India will aim to continue with their ruthless approach as the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series begins at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium here on Sunday.
Virat Kohli's men routed the Islanders in the three Tests, posting easy wins through all-round performances. In the first Test at Galle, India registered a 304-run triumph, while in the second Test at Colombo, they won by an innings and 53 runs. The third Test saw the visitors claim a victory by an innings and 171 runs in a dominating display.
India are high on confidence following these triumphs and they need to be in the right frame of mind as they switch to the 50-over white-ball format from the five-day affairs.
Sri Lanka, with their pride and quality being questioned following the recent losses, will be desperate for redemption. Test cricket is the hardest format that exposes the gulf in quality of the teams to the limit but the limited overs matches are expected to be balanced, even though the visitors should be overwhelming favourites.
Currently eighth in the ODI rankings, Sri Lanka will be eyeing the chance to seal direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. And out of these five matches, the 1996 World champions will have to win at least two matches to secure a place in the pinnacle 50-over competition by staving off the challenge from the West Indies. The cut-off date for direct qualification is September 30. (Read Full Preview Here)
