Harmanpreet Kaur stars as India secure a 39-run win over Sri Lanka

Harmanpreet Kaur's heroics with the bat helped India secure a 39-run win in the third ODI and thereby complete a clean sweep over hosts Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Kaur scored a gritty 75 from 88 balls as she rescued India from a middle-order collapse to a respectable score of 255 for nine in the allotted 50 overs.

Earlier, the openers got the visitors off to a decent start but failed to recreate their heroics from the previous game. Smriti Mandhana was the first to be dismissed for six runs with the score at 30. However, Shafali Verma continued with her innings and received support from Yastika Bhatia. The pair put on a 59-run partnership before Bhatia was removed by Inoka Ranaweera for 30.

This started a middle-order collapse for India as they quickly found themselves in trouble with the scoreboard reading 124 for six. Kaur then played a captain's knock as she steered India through the



tough phase and received great support from Pooja Vastrakar. The all-rounder scored 56 runs from 65 balls and remained unbeaten.

The Indian captain's knock consisted of seven boundaries and two sixes from the 88 deliveries she faced.

In response, Sri Lanka got off to an awful start as they lost opener Vishmi Gunaratne for three runs with just seven on the board. Captain Chamari Athapaththu played a fine knock of 44 from 41 deliveries but was sent back to the pavilion by her counterpart.

After Athapaththu's dismissal, Hasini Perara offered some resistance and towards the end, Nilakshi de Silva played an impressive 48 off 59 balls to give the hosts some hope. However, the others failed to make an impact with the bat and the Sri Lankan innings folded for 216.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad was the pick of the bowlers for India as she took three wickets for just 36 runs in 10 overs.