PALLEKELE: Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar shone with both bat and ball and powered their side to seal a dominant victory over Sri Lanka in the third ODI to complete the clean sweep.
India wrapped up the three-match ODI series, with a 3-0 triumph over the hosts Sri Lanka as the touring side claimed the final match of the series by 39 runs.
Set to chase 256, Sri Lanka women could only manage to score 216 before being bowled out in the 48th over despite a brilliant start.
Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu and Hasini Perera laid a solid foundation for the run chase before the side suffered early trouble in the fourth over as the opening Vishmi Gunaratne perished cheaply for three.
The duo of Athapaththu and Perera anchored the run chase with an important 57 runs partnership and had put the hosts in a decent position before the captain made her way back to the pavilion after scoring a quick 44 off 41 deliveries.
Following her departure, the side began to lose wickets at an alarming rate with Perera also making her way back in the 24th over after scoring 39 off 57, causing the side to slip to 110-4 in 24 overs.
Middle-order batter Nikashi de Silva then played a gritty knock down the order but her valiant effort too could not drive her side to the victory as the rest of the batters kept making their way back with small contributions.
Following the later collapse, Sri Lanka were soon dismissed on 216 in the 48th over. de Silva remained unbeaten with her valiant 48 off 59 balls, laced with two boundaries and a six.
For India, Rajeshwari Gayakwad led the way with three wickets, while Meghna Singh and Vastrakar picked up two wickets each. Harleen Deol, Kaur, and Deepti Sharma struck out a batter each.
Batting first, India finished at 255/9 in the allotted 50 overs at the back of the brilliant half-centuries from the captain Kaur and Vastrakar.
Kaur top-scored for the side with a brilliant knock of 75 runs on 88 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries and two sixes. Vastrakar, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with 56 including three boundaries.
Right-handed opener Shafali Verma also chipped in as she laid a solid foundation for the side with a brilliant knock of 49 runs and put on a wonderful 59-run partnership with Yastika Bhatia, who scored an important 30.
For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera, Rashmi Silva, and Athapaththu picked two wickets each, while Kavisha Dilhari, Oshadi Ranasinghe, and Ama Kanchana struck out a batter apiece.
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