India defeat Sri Lanka in 4th ODI

Colombo Aug 31 (IANS) Disciplined bowling from Jasprit Bumrah Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav helped India defeat Sri Lanka by 168 runs at R. Premadasa Stadium here on Friday to go 4-0 up in their five-match One-Day International cricket series.

Bumrah Pandya and Yadav picked up two wickets each. The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out for 207 runs in 42.4 overs in reply to the visitors 375 runs.

Chasing the mammoth target of 376 runs the hosts were off to a horrible start and were reduced to 68/4 in 16 overs.

Angelo Mathews (70) played a vital knock along with Milinda Siriwardana (39) to put up a 73-run stand before the latter was removed by Pandya.

Sri Lankan top order batsmen Niroshan Dickwella (14) Dilshan Munaweera (11) Kusal Mendis (1) and Lahiru Thirimanne (18) were sent packing by Indian bowlers within 16 overs of the inning.

Later Mathews and Siriwardana tried to bring the hosts back on track but failed to keep going. Mathews 80-ball innings was laced with 10 boundaries while Siriwardana hit three fours and one six.

In the end Akila Dananjaya (11) Akila Dananjaya (3) Vishwa Fernando (5) Lasith Malinga (0) all fell in quick succession as India maintained their winning streak.

Earlier India rode on centuries by skipper Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma to post 375/5 in their 50 overs.

Electing to bat first India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in the second over before Kohli and Rohit came together to post a 219-run second-wicket partnership.

--IANS
sam/ajb/dg