India set monstrous 376-run target for Lanka in Colombo ODI

Blistering tons from skipper Virat Kohli and opener Rohit Sharma helped India set a gigantic 376-run target for Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI of the five-match series at the R. Premdasa Stadium here on Thursday.

Opting to bat, India did not have the greatest of starts as they lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in the second over itself. However, Kohli (131) and Sharma (104) took the innings from there on and shared gigantic 219-run stand for first wicket.

Both of them smashed the Sri Lankan bowlers to all parts of the ground. While the skipper hit 17 fours and 2 sixes in his 96-ball knock, Sharma smacked 11 fours and 3 sixes in his innings of 88 deliveries.

India reached 200 in the 25th over and it looked as if they would go on to score in excess of 400. However, the visitors lost the plot with a couple of quick wickets and the recovery took about five-six overs which is where Sri Lanka chipped in with a couple of maidens.

However, wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was playing his 300th ODI, kept his calm and composure and shared an unbeaten 101-run stand with Manish Pandey.

Both of them hit some lusty blows during the course of their innings. While Pandey reached his 50, Dhoni finished one short of what was a well deserving half century.

For the hosts, Angelo Mathews was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped two wickets giving away 24 runs in his six over. Lasith Malinga, who is leading the side in absence of Chamara Kapugedara, was very expensive as he leaked 82 runs in his quota of 10 overs.