Team India beats Sri Lanka by seven wickets in second ODI

BULAWAYO - Team India registered an impressive seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second One-Day International cricket match played here at the Queens Sports Club on Sunday.

Thanks to Rohit Sharma’s second successive ODI century, as the team crushed Sri Lanka here and put its campaign back on track in the tri-series today.

Set to chase a target of 243, the Indian team made a rather slow start and lost both their openers within first 10 overs before Virat Kohli (82) and Rohit (101 not out) resurrected the innings to help India register success in the match with 6.3 overs to spare.

Earlier, the Indian bowlers produced a disciplined effort to bundle out Sri Lanka for 242 after captain Suresh Raina had opted to field.

Today, win also marked Raina’s first victory as captain.

Coming together in the 10th over, Kohli and Rohit added 154 runs from 168 balls for the third wicket to take the game away from Sri Lanka.

Rohit, who hit 114 against Zimbabwe in India’s first match though for a lost cause, hit six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 100-ball inning, his second ODI century in his 44th match.

Rohit received a great support from Kohli whose 82 came from 92 balls with the help of four boundaries.

Rohit took 60 balls to reach his fifty which came of a single off Ajantha Mendis in the 28th over and Kohli reached his seventh half-century an over later with a single off Dilhara Fernando.

Kohli, however, perished in the 38th over while trying to finish the game early.

India, who lost their opening match against Zimbabwe on Friday, play the hosts again in their next match on Thursday at Harare Sports Club.

Earlier, except for Angelo Mathews (75) and captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (61), the Lankan batsmen struggled for runs under tight Indian bowling after they were put into bat.

The Lankan innings concluded for 242 in 49.5 overs with three run outs. (ANI)