Harmanpreet, Gayakwad star as India sweep ODI series

Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed 3-36 after Harmanpreet Kaur's fluent 75 as Indian women's team beat Sri Lanka by 39 runs in the third ODI at Pallekele and clinched the series 3-0.

Following their commanding 10-wicket win in the second ODI, India put in another dominating performance with the bat after an early stutter. 

Sri Lanka, after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, got the wicket of opener Smriti Mandhana in the seventh over. Yastika Bhatia (30) and Shafali Verma (49) then put on 59 runs for the second wicket before Bhatia was dismissed by spinner Inoka Ranaweera.

Medium pacer Rashmi De Silva struck in quick succession to removed Verma and Harleen Deol before Oshadi Ranasinghe dismissed Deepti Sharma (4) cheaply.

India had their frontline batter back in the hut by the 27th over when Ranaweera sent back Richa Ghosh for 2 runs. However, allrounder Pooja Vastrakar and skipper Harmanpreet led the fightback with 97-run stand for the seventh wicket.

Harmanpreet, coming off a superb T20I series, continued his fine touch by reaching her 16th ODI fifty as India went past the 200-run mark.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Atapattu brought an end to Harmanpreet's charge in the 45th over, but India were closer to a good total by then. Vastrakar added quick runs at the toe end and reached her third ODI fifty as India posted 255/9 in 50 overs.

The hosts started off their chase well despite losing opener Vishmi Gunaratne early as Atapattu (44) and Hasini Perera (39) added 56 runs in quick time.

Harmanpreet got the key wicket of Atapattu when she hit it to Vastrakar at long-on. Gayakwad then wrecked the middle order by sending back Perera, Dilhari (12) and Ama Kanchana (2). 

Harleen Deol sent back Harshita Madavi (22) while Deepti Sharma and Meghna Singh ran through the tail.

Nilakshi de Silva scored an unbeaten 48 as Sri Lanka were all out for 216 in 47.3 overs.