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PICS: Kohli, Gill tons give India record win over Sri Lanka

Last updated on: January 15, 2023 22:13 IST

Images from the third and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli celebrates after completing his century during the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka, at Greenfield International Stadium, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday. Photograph: BCCI

Virat Kohli strolled his way to his third hundred in four innings after Shubman Gill's sublime century as India thrashed Sri Lanka by a record 317 runs in the third and final ODI, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday.

 

Skipper Rohit Sharma (42 off 49) and Gill (116 off 97) laid the platform for the massive total with a 95-run opening partnership before Kohli (166 not out off 110) did the needful with his 74th international hundred and 46th in ODIs as India amassed 390 for 5.

In reply, the Lankans were blown away for just 73 in 22 overs by pacer Mohammed Siraj, who took four wickets for 32 runs.

It is the biggest margin of victory by runs in the history of men's ODIs

Kohli, who ended a nearly three-year wait for an international hundred in the Asia Cup last year, is back to his best and scoring hundreds at will in this World Cup year.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli hits a boundary. Photograph: BCCI

The 34-year-old is now three short of equalling Sachin Tendulkar's World record of 49 centuries in One-Day Internationals. What is remarkable is his conversion ratio. He got to his 46th ton in 259 innings, while Tendulkar needed 452 innings to get to 49 centuries.   

Before Kohli took over, Gill played some high quality strokes en route his second ODI hundred and first in front of home fans.

A 23-run over from Lahiru Kumara in the initial stage of the innings got India going. After Rohit flicked the bowler for a six over deep mid-wicket, Gill collected four straight boundaries off Kumara, three on the off side and a leg side flick off a full toss.

IMAGE: Shubman Gill celebrates his first century at home. Photograph: BCCI

Rohit too looked good at the other end but got out against the run of play while trying one of his signature shots, the front-foot pull.

Gill and Kohli then shared a 131-run stand in which they were hardly troubled by the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Kohli began the innings with a flurry of boundaries before accumulating runs with his exemplary running between the wickets.

The first of his eight sixes came in the 80s as he seemed to have mishit the full delivery from Lahiru Kumara over long on but it cleared the fielder and went over the ropes, leaving him in a chuckle.

IMAGE: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill applaud a boundary during their opening partnership. Photograph: BCCI

He got to 99 with a boundary, which came following a collision with Ashen Bandara and Jeffrey Vandersay, who both were running towards the ball from deep square leg and deep midwicket.

Bandara was eventually stretchered off the field.

The last five overs saw India accumulate 58 runs as Kohli went ballistic after his century.

Mohammed Siraj celebrates with team-mates after taking the wicket of Avishka Fernando

IMAGE: Mohammed Siraj celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Avishka Fernando. Photograph: BCCI

Chasing the huge total, Sri Lanka succumbed to some high quality fast bowling from Siraj who struck four times inside the 10 overs to shut the door on the opposition.

It was the biggest margin of victory by runs in the history of men's ODIs.

Siraj had Avishka Fernando caught at widish slip in the second over of the innings. It was a procession back to the pavilion thereafter for the Lankans with Siraj running through the top order.

Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two wickets each.

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