India beat Sri Lanka to clinch series

Monday, 28 August 2017 00:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Jasprit Bumrah registered his maiden five-wicket haul
Rohit Sharma scored his 12th ODI century, his first in Sri Lanka
MS Dhoni hit his 65th ODI half-century

Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Singh Dhoni during their stand at Pallekele

NEW DELHI: Opener Rohit Sharma and former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit unbeaten 124 and 67 respectively as India crushed Sri Lanka by six wickets to take unassailable 3-0 lead in five-match series at Pallekele on Sunday.

India romped to the 218-run target riding on knocks of Sharma and Dhoni with more than four overs to spare.

Crowd trouble forced the umpires to stop play for about 35 minutes when India were cruising to a series clinching victory.

India were 210 for four after 44 overs, needing another eight runs to win, when players were sent back into the dressing room, following the rowdy behaviour from Sri Lankan supporters, who resorted to throwing bottles into the field of play.

Security forces were called to clear the spectators from some of the sections in the gallery before the match resumed.

The scenes were reminiscent of 1996 World Cup semifinals at the Eden Gardens where India had to forefeit the match against Sri Lanka following crowd trouble.

Earlier, pacer Jasprit Bumrah took his maiden five-wicket haul, enabling India restrict a struggling Sri Lanka to 217/9.

Bumrah was brilliant both upfront and in the death overs to end with figures of five for 27, surpassing his previous best of four for 22.

Sri Lanka, trailing 0-2 in the series, once again put up an ordinary show with the bat, barring a gritty 80 off 105 balls from Lahiru Thirimanne.

Thirimanne used this to his advantage and reached his 17th ODI half-century off 69 balls, inclusive of four fours. In total, he collected five fours and a six.

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