Dilshan, Mathews seal the win for Lanka

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: December 19, 2009

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Nagpur: Tillakaratne Dilshan’s love affair with the year 2009 continued with the Sri Lanka opener smashing another hundred, his second consecutive hundred in this series and 10th international ton this year, to guide Sri Lanka past India’s total of 301 for 7. Sri Lanka won the game in the final over by three wickets to level the ODI series at 1-1.

Dilshan made 123 off 113 balls in an innings laced with 12 boundaries and 2 sixes. Chasing a target of 302, Sri Lanka were once again given a flying start by the opening pair of Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan. They scored 102 in 14 overs before Tharanga (37) fell caught at slip off Harbhajan Singh.

Sri Lanka were cruising home, having reached 213 for 2 in the 36th over before Ashish Nehra castled the stumps of Dilshan to put an end to another destructive innings from him. Zaheer Khan then struck thrice in quick succession, removing Jayawardene, Kandamby and Kapugedera to bring India back into the game.

But Angelo Mathews kept his nerve, remaining unbeaten on 37 to take the tourists home with 5 balls to spare. Not taking away anything from the brilliant batting by Dilshan, India also had themselves to blame for the loss as they put up another lacklustre display of fielding. Today, they didn’t drop too many catches but the ground fielding was pathetic to say the least!

Earlier, India won the toss on a pitch that was expected to be another batting beauty and opted to bat first. The centurion of the last game, Virender Sehwag, was back in the hut in the very first over when he was caught behind off the bowling of Chanaka Welegedara for 4. Gautam Gambhir also didn’t last long as he was run out trying to steal a quick single but colliding with the bowler Welegedara at the non-striker’s end. He was dismissed for 2 and India were in a spot of bother at 19 for 2.

Sachin Tendulkar then consolidated the innings in the company of Virat Kohli, adding 62 runs for the third wicket before he went for one big shot too many, getting stumped by Kumar Sangakkara off the bowling of Ajantha Mendis for 43 off 52 balls, including four boundaries.

Virat Kohli, who was promoted to number four in the absence of Yuvraj Singh, notched up his 2nd ODI half century. He was dismissed soon after reaching the milestone trapped in front of the wickets of the bowling off Randiv for 54.

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni then took charge of the innings with Raina providing the much needed impetus in the middle overs. He smashed 68 off 55 balls including three sixes and four boundaries before he was caught at mid-wicket off Angelo Matthews with India at 258-5 in the 47th over.

Dhoni, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja, then took India past 300 before he was dismissed in the final over of the innings. Dhoni, in an attempt to go for another big hit off the bowling of debutante Suraj Randiv, was caught at deep mid-wicket by Tillakratne Dilshan. He made 107 off 111 balls in an innings laced with 8 fours and 2 sixes.

For Sri Lanka, Suraj Randiv was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 51 off 10 overs.

The two teams now move to Cuttack for the third ODI to be played on December 21.

Match Summary:

Sri Lanka 302 for 7 (Dilshan 123, Mathews 37*, Zaheer 3-63) beat India 301 for 7 (Dhoni 107, Raina 68, Kohli 54, Randiv 3-51) by three wickets

Man of the Match: Tillakaratne Dilshan

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