Skipper Shikhar Dhawan and Ishan Kishan scored respective half centuries as India thumped Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first one day international at Colombo on Sunday.
Sri Lanka’s new ODI captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to bat first. The opening pair of Avishka Fernando and Minod Bhanuka got their team off to solid start with a 49 run stand. However Yuzvendra Chahal provided the breakthrough by dismissing the former caught at extra cover by Manish Pandey.
Kuldeep Yadav then got into the act by claiming the wickets of Minod and Bhanuka Rajapaksa to push the Lankans on the backfoot.
Dhananjaya de Silva fell cheaply for 14 leaving Sri Lanka in a spot of bother at 117/4. Charith Asalanka along with Dasun Shanaka added 49 runs for the fifth wicket before the former edged a Deepak Chahar delivery behind the stumps.
The home side lost a bit of momentum in the final stages. However Chamira Karunaratne scored a breezy 35-ball 43 to take his side to a competitive total of 262/9 at the end of their allotted 50 overs.
For India Deepak Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav claimed 2 wickets each.
Chasing 263, the visitors opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan along with Prithvi Shaw got their team off to a blistering start. The duo put on 58 runs before the latter fell to Dhananjaya de Silva caught at long on by Fernando for a quickfire 43.
Debutant Kishan along with skipper Dhawan added 85 runs for the second wicket before the former edged a Lakshan Sandakan delivery to wicket keeper Bhanuka for a sparkling knock of 59.
Manish Pandey got a start but failed to covert into a big one as he holed out to Shanaka at mid-wicket for 26.
The 35 year old Dhawan along with another debutant Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 86 & 31 respectively, as India eased past the target of 263 in 36.4 overs.
Young Prithvi Shaw was declared the Man of the Match.
Sri Lanka 262/9 (Chamika Karunaratne 43*, Dasun Shanaka 39; Deepak Chahar 2/37, Kuldeep Yadav 2/48) lost to India 263/3 (Shikhar Dhawan 86*, Ishan Kishan 59; Dhananajaya de Silva 2/49,)
The second one day international will be played at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on July 20, Tuesday.