Rohit pummels Sri Lanka for unbeaten 208 in second ODI in Mohali as India level the series in style
Wednesday 13 December 2017 15:03, UK
Rohit Sharma hit his third double hundred in ODI cricket after smashing 208no from 153 balls in India's win over Sri Lanka in Mohali.
The 30-year-old's knock, which featured 12 sixes and 13 fours, followed his world record 264 against the same opposition in Kolkata in 2014 and his 209 against Australia in Bengaluru in 2013.
The opener, standing in as ODI captain for the rested Virat Kohli, reached his first hundred from 115 deliveries and his second from just 36 as Sri Lanka were put to the sword - Nuwan Pradeep walloped for 106 from his 10 overs.
Rohit's innings powered India to 392-4, a total they defended with ease despite Angelo Mathews' unbeaten 111 to win by 141 runs and make Sunday's third and final ODI in Visakhapatnam a decider.
Rohit's countrymen, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, plus Windies' Chris Gayle and New Zealand's Martin Guptill are the only other players to pass 200 in ODIs, each doing so once.
Tendulkar was the first man to achieve the feat, against South Africa in Gwalior in 2010 with an unbeaten 200, with Sehwag then scoring 219 against Windies in Indore in 2011.
Gayle and Guptill smashed 215 and 237 not out respectively during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand - Gayle against Zimbabwe in Canberra and then Guptill against Windies in Wellington.
Rohit's 16th ODI ton and half-centuries for Shreyas Iyer (88) and Shikhar Dhawan (68) ensured India rebounded from being skittled for 112 in the series opener in Dharamsala on Sunday, a game they lost by seven wickets.
Debutant off-spinner Washington Sundar, 18, then dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne and fellow slow bowler Yuzvendra Chahal bagged three wickets as Sri Lanka were limited to 251-8 - Mathews striking nine fours and three sixes in his 132-ball innings.
Watch the deciding ODI between India and Sri Lanka live from 7.50am on Sunday on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404)
