India complete series sweep

Chasing the first innings deficit of 352 runs after being asked to follow on, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 181 in their second innings. India had posted a total of 487 runs before dismissing the hosts for 135 in the first innings.

For India, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed four wickets and pacer Mohammad Shami three.

India had won the first match of the series by 304 runs and then thrashed the hosts by an innings and 53 runs in the second Test.

This is the first time that India have whitewashed Sri Lanka in a Test series in their own country.

Middle-order batsmen Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella staged a desperate battle to prolong Sri Lanka’s struggle in the second innings.

Coming together after the entire Sri Lankan top order had returned to the pavilion, Chandimal and Angelo Mathews added 65 runs between them in 27.4 overs.

Chandimal scored 36 runs off 89 balls with four hits to the fence. Mathews scored 35 off 96 deliveries with two boundaries and a six studding his innings.

Dickwella later scored 41 runs off 52 balls even as the Sri Lankan resistance crumbled.

Resuming at the overnight score of 19/1 in their second outing, Sri Lanka were off to a horrible start, losing three wickets within the first hour of play. The hosts were reduced to 39/4 before Chandimal and Mathews started their fight back.

This is the first ever instance that the entire Sri Lankan top order has been dismissed within 50 runs in both innings of a Test match against India.

The hosts suffered their first jolt in the third over of the day when overnight batsman Dimuth Karuratne was outfoxed by the extra bounce of an Ashwin delivery. The ball brushed the batsman’s gloves before being caught by Ajinkya Rahane in the slips. Malinda Pushpakumara patiently battled 32 deliveries for his one run before being caught behind off Shami’s bowling. The right-hander was repeatedly beaten outside the off-stump by Shami, but maged to survive somehow. IANS