Rohit Sharma triples double joy

It was expected to be another tough test in foggy weather and on a moist surface for Indian batsmen here at the IS Bindra stadium on Thursday. That's until Rohit Sharma decided to show the Sri Lankans that the collapse in the first ODI was an exception, the rule (almost) being that when the going gets tough, he gets going with double hundreds.

As Dharamsala-like conditions loomed, visiting skipper Thisara Perera won the toss and asked the hosts to bat. But Indians were up for it.

Sri Lankan seamers soon found themselves in the firing line as Indian top order piled up a score of 392 for four in the next 50 overs. This included skipper Sharma's third double century, an unbeaten 208 off just 153 balls after hammering 13 boundaries and 12 sixes.

Sri Lankans failed to recover from Sharma's assault and suffered a massive 141-run defeat in the day-night game. Angelo Mathews top-scored with unbeaten 111 in visitors total of 251 for eight.
The three-match series is now level at 1-1.

The day belonged to Sharma, who rewrote history by becoming the first batsman to score three double centuries in ODIs. His effort came in the aftermath of the debacle in Dharamshala where team got out for a paltry 112.

Sharma's opening partnership of 115 with Shikhar Dhawan proved to be foundation on which to build such a mammoth total. The southpaw took the lead in scoring early on as the skipper looked a bit tentative. Sharma's first 50 came in 65 balls whereas Dhawan reached half century in just 47 balls.

Suchith Pathirana finally broke this stand when he deceived Dhawan with his flight and Lahiru Thirimanne took a sharp catch at short mid-wicket.

After Dhawan's departure, Sharma got a support from young Shreyas Iyer (88) and he reached his 16th ODI hundred in the 40th over. And Sri Lankans should have expected the twist in the tale that followed considering Sharma had scored 264 against them three years ago in Kolkata.

In the remaining 10 overs, Sharma faced 37 deliveries but scored a jaw-dropping 107 off them and India added 147 to their total in this period.

Sharma singled out tormentor in the first ODI Lakmal in the 44th over and scored 26 runs off it which included four sixes of four legal balls.

The second ball of the over, a low full toss, Sharma dispatched it over mid-wicket by shuffling across. Lakmal escaped the punishment in the next full toss as it was declared a wide.

Lakmal then bowled one low and wide. Sharma obliged by sending it over square leg boundary.

The next, was similar to the previous two deliveries and Sharma made no mistake of sending the ball over the ropes. Lakmal then experimented with a slower short of length ball but the Mumbaikar pulled it with even more power into the stands to make it a 26-run over.

Lakmal's figures went haywire, from 55 runs in first seven overs to 71 an over later. There was more in store, but this time for Nuwan Pradeep.

Not having learnt the lessons from last over, Pradeep's full tosses yielded similar results as Sharma showed no mercy to complete his six sixes off last seven balls he faced. Luckily for Pradeep, Sharma only got to face his last two deliveries as the first four were bowled to Iyer.

When Parera began the 50th over, Sharma was batting on 191. The batsman slog-swept the first ball for a six over square leg. He took two off next ball to reach 199 and survived a stiff run out attempt. The third ball, Sharma brought up his double hundred taking two off a push to the mid-wicket area. He hit his last six of the innings the next ball before taking a single. And thus, he remained unbeaten.

Sri Lanka's response was purely academic with Mathews' knock going in vain.