Kohli's century, Umran's pace help India thrash Sri Lanka by 67 runs

GUWAHATI: Virat Kohli's 45th ODI century and captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill fifties powered India to a 67-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first game of the three-match series at the ACA stadium, here on Tuesday.

An opening stand of 143 between Gill, who made 70 off 60 and Rohit, who smashed 83 off 67 balls, put India into ascendancy early and set the tone for a big total. Then Kohli smacked his second consecutive ODI century, 113 off 87 balls, making the most out of two reprieves while hitting 12 fours and a six for India to make an improbable 373/7.

In reply, Sri Lanka made 306/8, with Shanaka's 88-ball 102 coming too late after opener Pathum Nissanka made 72 off 80 balls. Young tearaway pacer Umran Malik picked figures of 3/57, while Mohammed Siraj scalped an impressive 2/30. Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal and Hardik Pandya had a wicket each.

Kohli was in imperious touch, picking slower deliveries with ease and ramping short balls over keeper's head while maintaining the balance between front foot and back foot strokeplay and earned reprieves when his catches were dropped on 52 and 81.

Soon, he got his second hundred at the venue off 80 balls, punching the air in delight and getting a roaring applause from the crowd. After picking two more boundaries, Kohli fell when his slog-sweep off Kasun Rajitha brought out a top-edge and was caught by the keeper, bringing an end to a spectacular knock.

STATS

t 373-7 (50 overs) scored by India is the highest total at the ACA Stadium, Guwahati. The previous highest was 326-2 (42.1 overs), also scored by India against West Indies in 2018.

t Kohli scored back to back century at the ACA stadium in Guwahati. In the previous game against West Indies in 2018, he scored 140.

t Kohli on way to score 113 also became the fastest batsman to complete 12500 ODI runs.

t Kohli went on to surpass Sachin Tendulkar to claim the record of slamming the most ODI centuries against the Islanders. Kohli now has nine tons in the ODIs against Sri Lanka while Sachin scored eight tons against this side.

t The attendence of the match was around 27,000. That means only 70 percent of the seats were filled.

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