India’s captain Virat Kohli, right, shakes hands with Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera after their win in the Cricket World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka at Headingley in Leeds, England, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Associated Press
News

India tops Sri Lanka by 7 wickets at Cricket World Cup

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — India chased down 264 to beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets with 39 balls to spare in Leeds.

Already through to the semifinals next week, India needed to beat Sri Lanka and hope Australia loses to South Africa in their ongoing match, to finish top of the group stage. India did its part, at least.

Sri Lanka recovered from 55-4 to post 264-7, considered a challenging total on a dry, used Headingley pitch.

But India made light of the chase, reaching 265-3 after openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul hit centuries and combined for a tournament-best 189 stand.

Sharma was out for 103 in the 31st over, becoming the first player to hit five hundreds in a single World Cup. His sixth in World Cups overall also tied the record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

Rahul was out for 111 in the 41st over, gloving a catch behind to give Lasith Malinga his 56th wicket in World Cups, good for outright third on the all-time list.

For Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews led with 113, his third career ODI century, all of them against India.

SCROLL FOR NEXT