(Cricket news) India’s top order was on fire as their bowling attack got the job done against Sri Lanka in the opening ODI. The men in blue beat the visitors by 67 runs, while Virat Kohli hit his 45th ODI century whereas Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill entertained with sparkling fifties to help India post a mammoth target. In reply, the visitors never threatened India in their pursuit of 374 but had it not been for an unbeaten hundred from their skipper Dasun Shanka right at the end, they would have lost by an even bigger margin.

The Lankans didn’t get off to the greatest of starts as Mohammed Siraj got rid of Avishka Fernando, who managed to top edge to get caught for just 5. In his next over, Siraj got one ball to come back in and knock Kusal Mendis’s stumps as Sri Lanka were under immense pressure. Charith Asalanka made it worse as he walked back to the pavilion after it appeared he got a slight nick while attempting a leg glance but replays suggested that the ball had brushed his towel on its way through to the keeper. 

Nissanka was playing really well for his 72 but he got done by the pace of Umran Malik as he top edged the ball which was caught at midwicket. Then started the Shanaka show as he was  the lone ranger with tail ender Kasun Rajitha and the duo finished with a partnership of 100 off 73 balls. Shanaka kept finding the boundary regularly and looked set to bring up a hundred in the final over, a bizarre single off the third ball threatened to spoil his party but the Indian team opted not to run him out as he got the strike back for the final two deliveries, which he hit for a four and a six to finish unbeaten on 108.

Earlier in the day, India’s top order were in scintillating form as they posted a majestic total. Rohit and Gill got India off to a flying start as the duo posted 73 runs in the first 10 overs. Rohit was at his belligerent best while Gill continued his golden patch of form justifying the management’s decision to pick him ahead of Ishan Kishan. Dasun Shanaka broke the opening stand of 143 by trapping Gill lbw for 70. Rohit then missed out on a well deserved ton as he chopped a delivery onto his stumps to fall for 83 but Kohli made a positive start to his innings at the other end

Kohli was rotating the strike consistently while the likes of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul turned aggressor at the other end. Both Iyer and Rahul made handy contributions before getting out cheaply as at the end of 40 overs, India were 294/3 and were well on course to surpass 400. Rajitha could have had Kohli out twice but Kusal Mendis dropped him when he just went past his fifty. Kohli was handed a lifeline, this time by Shanaka at extra cover as he rode his luck to get his 73rd ton in international cricket off just 80 deliveries to put India in a dominant position. India couldn’t breach 400 but still managed 373.

Brief scores: India 373/7 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 113, Rohit Sharma 83, Shubman Gill 70; Kasun Rajitha 3/88) beat Sri Lanka 306/8 in 50 overs (Dasun Shanaka 108*, Pathum Nissanka 72; Umran Malik 3/57) by 67 runs

Also read: Did not want to run him out like that: Rohit on Shanaka