India beat Sri Lanka by 78 runs to win the third ODI of the 3-match series played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and wrap up the series 2-0 . The Indian win came at the back of a stellar all-round performance with the willow and red cherry.


After setting the visitors a challenging 202-run total, the Indian bowlers were up to the task by taking regular wickets and dismissing the Lankans for 123 .

Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Matthews were the only shining armour in an otherwise  dismal batting effort which saw most of the players getting out in single digits. It was a collective effort by the Indian bowling attack as Navdeep Saini picked up 3 wickets, while Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar scalped two wickets each.

Put into bat first by Sri Lankan skipper Lasith Malinga, India posted a challenging 201 run total against Sri Lanka in the 3rd and final T2OI being played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium at Pune. The hosts got off to a flier with openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul delivering the goods with some lusty blows in the powerplays.

Just as the opening duo looked to blossom after the opening fury, spinner Lakshan Sankadan struck first blood for Sri Lanka getting rid of well settled Dhawan. Wanindu Hasaranga produced a deceptive googly to dismiss Sanju Samson cheaply. Sankadan struck again with double strikes removing half centurion KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.

Skipper Virat Kohli coming to bat at No. 6 got into the act immediately and stepped up the scoring rate with Pandey by hitting a flurry of boundaries. A brilliant throw by Gunathilaka saw the end of Virat Kohli, who found himself short. Pandey produced the late flourish with Shardul Thakur to help the home team post a herculean 202 run total.