Men in Blue experienced a humiliating defeat in the third and final ODI after exhibiting a poor show with the bat. Sri Lankan spinners yet again dominated the game right from the start and defeated India by a whopping 110 runs to clinch the series 2-0. Sri Lanka created history as they defeated India in a bilateral ODI series after a gap of 27 years. Chasing 249, Indian batters kept losing wickets cheaply and surrendered for 138. Sri Lanka’s young spinner Dunith Wellalage starred with a five-wicket haul.

Earlier, for a third time in a row, Rohit Sharma made an incorrect decision to bowl first. The Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando put Mohammed Siraj to the sword inside the powerplay overs. Both added 89 runs before Axar Patel gave a breakthrough for India. Nissanka (45) missed out on his half-century while Fernando went on to play a top-scoring knock of 96.

Kusal Mendis played a crucial knock of 59 while other batters departed for single-digit scores. Kamindu Mendis’ handy 23-run knock helped the hosts to post a competitive 248/7 in 50 overs. Debutant Riyan Parag starred with a three-wicket haul for India.

India’s chase got off to a decent start with Rohit raining boundaries, but Asitha Fernando pulled things back by cleaning up Shubman Gill (6). Wellalage then got the important wicket of Rohit (35). Things got worse for India when Rishabh Pant gifted his wicket by walking down the pitch. Much-expected Virat Kohli yet again failed and walked back for 20. Apart from Washington Sundar (30) other batters fell to the Lankan spinners’ trap and lost the match.