Sri Lanka amassed 248 for 7 (Avishka 96, Mendis 59, Parag 3-54), defeating India 138 (Rohit 35, Wellalage 5-27) by 110 runs.
Avishka Fernando's stellar knock of 96, the highest individual score in the series, and Dunith Wellalage's impressive five-wicket haul led Sri Lanka to their first ODI bilateral series win against India in 27 years, with a commanding 110-run victory in the final ODI in Colombo.
India's persistent troubles with spin were evident once more, as they lost nine wickets to spinners for the third consecutive game, totalling 27 wickets across the series. Wellalage's figures of 5 for 27 were pivotal this time, but throughout the series, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Charith Asalanka also caused India problems. Despite Rohit Sharma's typically strong starts, India's ability to consistently challenge was lacking.
In this match, Rohit could only contribute a quick 35 off 20 before Wellalage had him caught behind, cutting short any potential momentum for India. Aside from Rohit, only Virat Kohli, Riyan Parag, and Washington Sundar reached double figures, scoring 20, 15, and 30 respectively, with only Sundar managing to put any pressure on the Sri Lankan bowlers.
Avishka's 96 off 102 balls earlier in the day proved crucial for Sri Lanka, establishing a solid foundation despite a collapse that saw them lose 28 runs for five wickets. His innings featured key partnerships of 89 and 82 for the first and second wickets, taking advantage of opportunities presented by the seamers.
While Shivam Dube conceded only nine runs in his four overs, Mohammed Siraj endured a tough day, giving away 78 runs for one wicket in nine overs. Avishka scored 36 of those runs at a strike rate of 200, exploiting Siraj's inconsistent lines and lengths, particularly targeting anything short and too straight.
Riyan Parag, making his debut, left a mark by dismissing Avishka with a leg break and trapping Charith Asalanka with another well-placed delivery. His best delivery, however, bowled Wellalage with a ball that dipped, turned, and clipped the off stump. Despite his economy rate of six an over, Parag, along with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar, maintained tight lines, each taking a wicket.
Sri Lanka's innings featured strong contributions from Pathum Nissanka (45) and Kusal Mendis (59), supporting Avishka at the top. Despite a middle-order collapse from 171 for 1 to 199 for 6, Mendis' late strikes helped push the total towards 240, which proved sufficient in the end.
This score, though seemingly modest given the strong start, highlighted the challenges faced by the Indian batsmen against Sri Lanka's disciplined bowling attack, securing a memorable victory for the hosts.