India vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI to be played on reserve day if rain plays spoilsport

In case both teams fail to play for at least 20 overs today, the reserve game will be played on Monday, September 4.

Courtesy: Twitter (@BCCI)

New Delhi: Team India head into the 5th and final ODI of the ongoing series hoping to secure yet another whitewash after securing a 3-0 sweep victory in the Test series. But with rain pouring down heavily in Colombo as present, will Virat Kohli's hopes of a third 5-0 clean sweep wash away? In probably any other series, it would have but not here. (IND vs SL, 5th ODI - LIVE Blog)

As per reports, a reserve day was kept by Sri Lankan management in case rain disrupts proceedings. It isn't usual to see extra days being kept in case of abandonments related to weather in bilateral series, but that isn't the case here.

In case both teams fail to fetch at least 20 overs of play, the reserve game will be played on Monday, September 4.

The ongoing rain might give the hosts some respite in preventing a clean sweep from taking place, considering it would be there second successive ODI series against India which they could lose by a 5-0 margin. The last time these two sides played a bilateral series in November 2014, a depleted Lankan side lost 5-0 in India.

Sri Lanka's fortunes haven't changed much since and another loss would be a serious body blow for the hosts in what has been a traumatic summer of cricket. They have already foregone the opportunity to automatically qualify for the 2019 ODI World Cup by failing to win two matches in this series.

That 5-0 win in 2014-15 was India's last ODI series whitewash. Since they have beaten Zimbabwe 3-0 twice, as also beating them 5-0 in 2013. This could well be there second.