Virat Kohli Stars With 73rd International Century As India Thrash Sri Lanka By 67 Runs In First ODI

An authoritative Virat Kohli headlined India's utterly dominant performance with his 45th ODI hundred as the hosts pummelled Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first of the three-match series in Guwahati on Tuesday. Asked to bat first, India rode former skipper Kohli's 87-ball 113 and fluent half-centuries from his successor Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to rake up an imposing 373 for seven in their allotted quota of overs on a batting-friendly strip. In reply, the Sri Lankans were never in the hunt and ended at 306 for eight in 50 overs to hand the hosts a 1-0 lead in the rubber.

After opener Pathum Nissanka fell for 72, visiting captain Dasun Shanaka waged a lone battle and produced a counterattacking century, even as the others failed to put up any resistance.

In the end, Shanaka remained not out on 108 off 88 balls.

Young speed merchants Umran Malik (3/57) and Mohammed Siraj (2/30) then put the icing on the cake in a lopsided game.

Continuing his blazing form into the New Year, Kohli slammed his 73rd international hundred overall and made the Lankans pay for two dropped catches.

The exuberant Siraj once again bowled splendidly with the new ball and reduced the Islanders to 23/2 inside six overs to set the tone.

He first dismissed Avishka Fernando and then rattled Kusal Mendis' timber with a scorching delivery to cap a superb opening spell of 5-1-15-2, laced with 25 dot balls.

But Nissanka held on and stood in two crucial partnerships with Dhananjaya de Silva (47) and Charith Asalanka (23) when India operated with spin twins Yuzvendra Chahal (1/58) and Axar Patel (0/32 from five overs) in the middle overs.

Amid heavy dew, Malik came to bowl in the middle overs and struck thrice, dismissing Asalanka, Nissanka and