Ind vs SL: Men In Blue successfully clinch ODI series at Eden Gardens

India players celebrate the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka at Eden Gardens yesterday. Pics/AFP

India clinched the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka on Thursday with a four-wicket victory at the Eden Gardens. The battle was all but lost and won in the first half with the visitors putting up a pathetic batting display. The Indians then made heavy weather of a modest target of 216, but wrapped it up in the 44th over before 50,000 vociferous fans. It gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Fernando top-scores for SL

But for a brief period on a firm yet friendly wicket, the Sri Lanka batsmen never looked threatening and it is to debutant Nuwanidu Fernando's credit that he top-scored with a 63-ball 50.

KL Rahul in full flow yesterday

Kuldeep Yadav, coming into the match in place of Yuzvendra Chahal, finished with three for 51.

The Indians had a few hiccups before KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya put the boat back on an even keel. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli - high scorers all in the previous match - were dismissed within the power-play, and with Shreyas Iyer departing soon after, there was whiff of a fightback. Rahul and Pandya blew it away with a 119-ball partnership of 75.

Hardik fell with India still requiring 55 off 95, but Rahul remained unbeaten with 64 off 103 to ensure India got over the line despite more wickets tumbling at the other end.

Crucial breakthrough

Earlier, Nuwanidu and Kushal Mendis added 73 off 66 for the second wicket before Kuldeep and Axar Patel gave a spin to the story.

Introduced in the 17th over, Kuldeep trapped Mendis leg-before, and in the very next over, Axar went through the defences of Dhananjaya de Silva with an arm-ball. Nuwanidu, then on 44, was soon showing the way by using his feet to the spinners, but he left after completing an impressive fifty, failing to regain his crease after bolting out like a race horse at the gate. Barring that frustrating and rather embarrassing moment, the debutant had belied his lack of experience even as senior colleagues fell to poor shots. Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne and Dunith Wallalage left offering catching practice to Axar at shortish backward-point while Dasun Shanaka was bowled round his pads as he went across the line for a sweep. Wallalage and Hasaranga did lend a belligerent note, but it was too little too late. The visitors never quite recovered and the pacers returned for their share of the kill. It was all over in the 40th over, well before dusk to somewhat ruin the laser show planned for the break.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka: KL Rahul anchors India's series-clinching win with unbeaten half-century

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 215 all out in 39.4 overs (N Fernando 50, K Mendis 34, D Wellalage 32; M Siraj 3-30, Kuldeep 3-51, U Malik 2-48) lost to India 219-6 in 43.2 overs (KL Rahul 64', H Pandya 36; C Karunaratne 2-51, L Kumara 2-64) by 4 wickets