In the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka snatched an important victory against the defending champion India on Thursday at The Oval (London). With this result, the group B becomes more interesting.

Sri Lanka decided to field first after winning the toss. India put a big total of 321 runs (321/6) at the end of 50 overs.

In reply, Sri Lanka chased down the total in 48.4 overs after losing only three wickets. Sri Lanka won this match by seven wickets with eight balls to spare.

Brief Scores: India – 321/6 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 125, Rohit Sharma 78, Lasith Malinga 2/70)

Sri Lanka – 322/3 in 48.4 overs (Kusal Mendis 89, Danushka Gunathilaka 76, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1/54)

Result – Sri Lanka won by seven wickets

Here are some of the statistical highlights of the match

Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan put up a brilliant 138-runs partnership for the opening wicket. Here are some important stats of this amazing partnership:

i) It is the 6^th 50+ partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in the ICC Champions Trophy history. It is the most no. of 50+ partnerships between a pair in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record was 5 times 50+ partnership in this tournament history between Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies).

ii) It is the 3^rd consecutive 100+ partnership in ODIs between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. They are the first Indian pair to create three consecutive 100+ partnerships in ODIs.

iii) It is India’s third highest opening partnership in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The top two in this list are 192 runs between Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly against England (at Colombo, RPS on 22^nd September 2002) and 141 runs between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly against New Zealand (at Nairobi, Gym on 15^th October 2000).

Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan (556 runs) completed his 500 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy. It was his 7^th match in the ICC Champions Trophy which is the fastest (according to the no. of matches) for a batsman to complete 500 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record holder was former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly who had achieved this feat in just eight matches.

Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan scored a brilliant century of 125 runs. Here are some important stats of this innings:

i) It is the fourth highest individual score by an Indian batsman in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The top three in this list are 141* by Sourav Ganguly (against South Africa at Nairobi, Gym on 13^th October 2000), 141 by Sachin Tendulkar (against Australia at Dhaka on 28^th October 1998) and 126 by Virender Sehwag (against England at Colombo, RPS on 22^nd September 2002).

ii) It is the highest individual score by any batsman against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record holder was the former South African batsman Jacques Kallis with 113* runs knock at Dhaka on 30^th October 1998.

iii) It is the second highest individual ODI knock by an Indian opening batsman against Sri Lanka at the neutral venues. The record holder is Sourav Ganguly with 183 runs knock at Taunton on 26^th May 1999.

iv) It is the third century for Shikhar Dhawan in the ICC Champions Trophy history which is the joint most no. of century in this competition history. Apart from Dhawan, Sourav Ganguly (India), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) and Chris Gayle (West Indies) are the other batsmen who have hit three centuries in this tournament history.

India put 321 runs (321/6) on the board in 50 overs. Here are some important stats of this innings:

i) It is the second highest total for India in the ICC Champions Trophy history. Their record is 331/7 (50 overs) against South Africa at Cardiff on 6^th June 2013.

ii) It is the highest total for any team against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record was 315/7 (50 overs) for New Zealand at Johannesburg on 27^th September 2009.

Sri Lanka chased down the target successfully, as they scored 322/3 in 48.4 overs. Here are some important stats for this chasing:

i) It is the highest successful chase for any team in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record was 308/2 (47.2 overs) by England (Target – 306) against Bangladesh at The Oval on 1^st June 2017.

ii) It is the joint highest successful chase for Sri Lanka in their ODI history. Previously, Sri Lanka had chased down 322 runs once against England at Leeds on 1^st July 2006, where they had scored 324/2 in 37.3 overs.

iii) Also, it is the joint highest successful chase for any team against India in the ODI history. Previously, Pakistan (322/6 in 49.5 overs) had also chased the same target (322 runs) against India at Mohali on 8^th November 2007.

During the Sri Lankan innings, five Indian bowlers conceded 50+ runs each. It is the second time in the ICC Champions Trophy history, where more than four bowlers conceded 50+ runs each in the same innings. Earlier in this tournament, five Sri Lankan bowlers had conceded 50+ runs each against South Africa at The Oval on 3^rd June 2017.

Sri Lanka won this match by seven wickets. It is the first victory for Sri Lanka against India in the Champions Trophy history. Previously, they had met thrice in this tournament history where India had won once and the other two were washed out.