Guwahati: India's top order including Virat Kohli blazed a trail as the hosts won by 67 runs against Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli cracked his 45th ODI ton, after an earlier onslaught by Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, helped India put up a gigantic 373/7.
In reply, Sri Lanka ended their chase at 306/8. India would have won by even bigger margin, had Captain Dasun Shanaka (108 no off 88 balls 12x4s 3x6s) not had cracked a century for his side.
Sent into bat, openers Rohit and Shubman laid the foundation by building a 143 runs partnership for the first wicket, before Virat capitalised on it to smack a century as Sri Lankan toiled hard to keep Indian batsmen under check on a flat track.
The openers started off with a bang. In 10 overs, India put on 75 runs on the board, with Rohit and Shubman hammering Sroi Lankan bowlers to all over the park. Shubman tonked Dilshan Madhushanka for a hat-trick boundaries in the third over and then Rohit smacked two sixes off Kasun Rajitha in an over.
Before Rohit and Shubman could get to their fifties, they survived close lbw calls. Taking advantage of it, they put on a century stand in 15 overs.
Shanaka picked the gauntlet and ended the stand by trapping Shubman LBW for 70 much to the relief of the hosts.
Soon after walking into the field, Virat did not take much time to get his eye in, but Sri Lanka struck by denying Rohit his century as he inner-edged Madushanka onto his stumps.
Despite losing the openers, India maintained the run rate as Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul made valuable contributions. Shreyas looked ominous when he hammered Wanindu Hasaranga for a six, but a mistimed sweep off Dhananjaya de Silva saw him depart for 28.
Virat and Rahul got a six each off Dhananjaya, but the former captain was lucky enough as Kusal Mendis spilled a regulation catch of his edge off Rajitha. Rubbing salt to the wounds, Virat spanked three boundaries in the same over.
After 40 overs, India were 294 and were well within sight of posting 400 runs, with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel to follow. However, Rajitha disturbed the furniture of Rahul and then Hardik failed to fire to depart for just 14.
These two wickets caused some damage to India's pace of scoring runs, and could have been worse if Shanaka would have bucketed a catch at extra cover as Virat received a second reprieve.
Making it count, Virat reached his back-to-back ODI century before getting out on 113. Thereafter, India could not get any boundaries in the last two overs to get to 400 runs mark.
Sri Lanka didn't get their act right, though Pathum Nissanka cracked three boundaries inside the first three overs.
The visitors were put under the pump, courtesy Mohammad Siraj who bagged wickets of Avishka Fernando for 5 and Kusam Mendis for a duck.
Charith Asalanka walked back soon, but was unfortunately given out caught behind, but the replays showed that the ball had brushed his towel while attempting a leg-glance. Aslanka could have wished to have opted for DRS, but he didn't.
Amidst all this, Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva upped the ante and smoked seven boundaries in three overs, which helped the former to get to his fifty.
Nissanka The allrounder dealt in boundaries and raced to 47 off just 39 as Sri Lanka tried to accelerate close to the halfway mark, but were stymied by Shami as Dhananjaya edged one to wicket-keeper Rahul.
Nissanka (72 off 80 11x4s) and Wanindu Hasaranga (16 off 7) swung their bats, but both fell on mistimed shots to Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal, respectively.
The chase became beyond Sri Lanka's reach thereon, but astonishingly, they did not lose any further wicket after losing Chamika Karunaratne for 14, when the total was 206.
Both Shanaka and Kasun Rajitha cobbled up an unbeaten 100 runs partnership for the 9th wicket.
Brief scores: India 373/7 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 113, Rohit Sharma 83, Shubman Gill 70; Kasun Rajitha 3/88) beat Sri Lanka306/8 in 50 overs (Dasun Shanaka 108*, Pathum Nissanka 72; Umran Malik 3/57) by 67 runs. (UNI)
