Wellalage consigns India to 110-run defeat with five-wicket haul, SL win ODI series 2-0

Colombo: The shockingly clueless Indian batting unit was strangled by crafty Sri Lankan spinners, led by five-wicket man Dunith Wellalage, as Rohit Sharma’s men crashed to an embarrassing 110-run defeat in the third and final ODI here on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka won the three-match series 2-0 after the first match ended in a tie, and this is the Islanders’ first bilateral ODI series victory over India since 1997.

Chasing a competitive 249 on a sharp turner at Premadasa, India were bowled out for a woeful 138 in 26.1 overs, and the new head coach Gautam Gambhir will have a few hard points to ponder early into his stint.

The left-arm spinner Wellalage, who hurt India with the bat till now, chose to bruise the visitors by ball taking five for 27 after opener Avishka Fernando made a well-paced 96 to carry Lanka to 248 for seven.

However, India had a rather good beginning, despite the early departure of Shubman Gill, to their chase, courtesy Rohit Sharma’s breakneck 35 off 20 balls that included an 18-run over off Maheesh Theekshana.

The runs cascaded through a sequence of 6, 4, 4, 4 in the fourth over of the innings.

But sweep, one of the favoured shots of Rohit, brought the downfall of the Indian skipper.

His attempt to play it off Wellalage ended in the hands of Kusal Mendis behind the stumps.

Once Rohit walked back, the rest of the Indian batters submerged into a whirlpool of confusion.

Virat Kohli (20) played for turn when there was none and was adjudged leg before to Wellalage.