Kolkata: Rohit Sharma authored a dream return to big-time cricket by cracking a world record individual score of 264 as India toyed with a hapless Sri Lanka to register an emphatic 153-run win in 4th ODI to take an 4-0 lead in the 5-match series at the Eden Gardens here Thursday.
The 27-year-old Sharma, who had to pull out midway into the England tour in August following a finger injury, scripted one of the biggest comeback celebrations the game has ever seen to propel the hosts to a mammoth 404/5 before 30,000-odd mesmerised fans at the majestic Eden Gardens that completed 150 years.
Needing to score at a daunting 8.1 runs per over to upstage India, the visitors never came anywhere close to accepting the challenge and were bundled out for only 251 in 43.1 overs, as the home side took a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.
In fact, the entire Sri Lankan team scored 13 less than Sharma, who is now the only batsman to score two ODI double hundreds - having plundered 206 against Australia last November in Bengaluru. He is also surpassed Virender Sehwag's 219, the existing highest ODI score.
The Sri Lankan reply started off on a poor note, as they lost opener Kusal Perera (0) without any runs on the board in the very first over.
The islanders suffered further jolts with Dinesh Chandimal (9), Mahela Jayawardene (2) and Tilakratne Dilshan (34; 33b, 6x4) departing by the tenth over.
At 48/4, the tourists needed a miracle to make the game competitive.
Skipper Angelo Mathews (75; 68b, 9x4, 1x6) and Lahiru Thirmanne (59, 69b, 7x4, 1x6) put on 118 for the fifth wicket, but that was too little and too late, and only provided some respectability to the islanders' innings.
There was another 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Thirmanne and Thisara Perera (29), but once they left, wickets fell at regular intervals and it was all over with 6.5 overs yet to be bowled.
For India, Dhawal Kulkarni (4/34) ran through the middle order. Umesh Yadav, Akshar Patel and Stuart Binny picked up two wickets each.
India Team
Ajinkya Rahane, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Akshar Patel, Karn Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni
Sri Lanka Team
Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga, Ajantha Mendis
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