Propelled by Virat Kohli’s century knock of 106, Virender Sehwag’s stable 96 and Irfan Pathan’s economical effort of 10-1-37-2, India registered victory in the first ODI against the hosts Sri Lanka by 21 runs.
Chasing a target of 315 runs to win, Sri Lanka finished with 293 for 9 with Kumar Sangakkara leading the chase with a vital but slow 133 off 151 balls. Thisara Perera (44) tried to get Sri Lanka home with some lusty blows at the fag end of the innings but the hosts fell short by 21 runs.
Over 50: Sri Lanka 293/9
Malinga hit few lusty blows in the final over but the hosts fell short by 21 runs. Sri Lanka after 50 overs finished with 293/9.
OUT, Perera departed to kill the game as he was out caught by Virat Kohli.It was a full ball on the stumps, Perera cleared the front leg and looked to launch it down the ground, he miscued it and Kohli at long on took a simple catch. Thisara Perera c Virat Kohli b Irfan Pathan 44(28) [4s-3 6s-1]
OUT, Sangakkara departed as Umesh Yadav got the wicket of the centurion for 133 (151). Sanga walked to the off-side as he looked to paddle it down to fine leg, but Umesh stayed calm and bowled a full and straight delivery from round the wicket on leg stump, Sangakkara misses the paddle and the ball crashes into the leg stump.
Over 45: Sri Lanka 254/6
Perera on the charge and the in-form batsman took the game to the Indians with some lusty blows to take the Sri Lankan total to 254. 61 runs were required from 30 balls.
Over 40: Sri Lanka 203/6
OUT, Thirimanne was plucked up by Ashwin when he was on a personal score of 7. But Sangakkara reached his 100, his 14th in ODIs.
OUT, Zaheer Khan got the wicket of big hitting Angelo Mathewsas he was caught by Gambhir.. It was the knuckle ball and Zak landed it on a short of length, it kicked up from the deck outside off as Mathews made room and looked to slash it over point, the ball hit the bat high on the splice and the miscued shot was safely taken at point by Gambhir. Mathews c Gambhir b Zaheer 7(17)
Over 35: Sri Lanka 171/4
Sangakkara went about his business in a very slow manner punishing the bad ball and struggling to rotate the strike with Angelo Mathews.
Over 30: Sri Lanka 137/4
OUT, Mahela Jayawerdene departed cheaply for 12 runs as PRagyan Ojha picked up the vital wicket in the 29th over. The arm ball from Ojha and it went straight on, Mahela lunged forward and attempted the paddle, missed it and got hit on the pads, Ojha appealed and the finger was raised from umpire Martinesz, that ball was pitched in line and would have hit middle and leg stump.
OUT, Dinesh Chandimal got out for 13 as Umesh Yadav got his first wicket of the match. Good length ball outside off and it straightened, Chandimal got forward and pushed away from the body, got a thick outside edge that was taken by Dhoni.
Over 25: Sri Lanka 116/2
Sri Lankan captain upped the ante a bit with a flurry of boundaries alongside Dinesh Chandimal. Sangakkara reached his 73rd in ODI fifty in the process in 78 balls.
Over 20: Sri Lanka 88/2
OUT, Upul Tharanga’s patient vigil in the middle came to an end courtesy Ashwin. Tharanga went for a square cut seeing a short and wide delivery, but a thickish edge to first slip undone the opener.
Over 15: Sri Lanka 68/1
Dhoni introduced Ashwin and they lock on the run flows were kept intact by the Indians but more importantly Sri Lanka kept their wickets intact.
Over 10: Sri Lanka 41/1
It has been a slow but steady progress by the Sri Lankan as Kumar Sangakkara (11*) and Tharanga (13*) stayed on the middle negotiating the Indians bowlers.
Over 5: Sri Lanka 23/1
Sri Lanka were pegged back early on by some tight bowling by Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan as the hosts managed only 23 runs with the loss of one wicket.
Irfan Pathan gave India the breakthrough, just in his second ball, LBW and the explosive Sri lankan opener was sent packing for just 6 runs. Sri Lanka 9/1.
It was not a good start for India as Sehwag dropped a dolly in the first over at first slip. Dilshan got the lifeline. Interestingly, it was Dilshan who had dropped Sehwag in the Indian innings when the opener was on nought. Sehwag went on to score 96, how much will Dilshan score after being dropped on 4.
Over 50: India 314/6
Slog sweeping by Raina and he took the bowlers to the cleaners with a quick fire 50 off 44 balls. Raina got out in the first ball of the last over. The wicket was again taken by Perera. Dhoni perished next ball. India 314/6
First Six of the innings by Suresh Raina as Dhoni takes out his Helicopter shot on Malinga. 16 runs off the 47th over.
Over 45: India 260/4
India go past 250-run mark with Raina (30*) and Dhoni (14*) in the middle, all set for a explosive finish.
Over 40: India 229/4
Hambantota (Sri Lanka): Last ball off the 40th over, and Perera got the wicket of Virat Kohli (106). It was pitched up delivery; Kohli went for power drive, did not time it well and the ball was caught by Thirimanne at short extra cover.
100 for Virat Kohli , in 106 balls in the 38th over. India 217/3.
Over 35: India 194/3
OUT, Rohit Sharma flatters to deceive again, clean bowled by Angelo Mathews for 5 runs. India 191/3.
OUT, Sehwag out for 96, unfortunate to say the least as Kohli sent the opener back refusing a single, a direct hit from Thisara Perera and Sehwag was well short of his crease.
Over 30: India 169/1
The Sri Lankans were unable to get a wicket as Kohli and Sehwag marched on with ease. The duo amassed up their 150-run partnership. Sehwag was nearing his century playing on 95*. He tried to hook an outside-off delivery, got an edge but the ball landed safely in front of a charging Malinga. Kohli on the other hand was on 67*.
Over 25: India 135/1
Virat Kohli and Virender Sehwag coasted along as the duo maintained the run rate of over 5.30. Virat Kohli reached his fifty, his, 22nd in ODIs in 62 balls. This was also his 5th consecutive half century.
Over 20: India 104/1
India reached 100 in the 19.2 over as surprisingly, the second fifty came in 46 balls.
50 for Virender Sehwas as he nonchalantly picked up a single off the last ball of the 17th over to complete his 33rd ODI fifty in 60 balls off Rangana Herath’s over.
Over 15: India 75/1
After the early blow in the form of Gambhir (3), Sehwag (42*) and Virat (28*) stitched up a solid partnership with Sehwag coming into his element after his early stutter.
Nuwan Kulasekara pulled up a muscle as he plucked up a low catch off Sehwag but it was over ruled by the umpire after repeated replays.
Over 10: India 45/1
Sehwag and Virat consolidated the Indian innings as India were 45/1 after 10 overs.
Sehwag finally looked good as he hit some attractive fours but it was Virat who showed his class with some silken hits to the fence.
Sehwag was unbeaten on 24 while Kohli remained not out on 16.
Over 5: India 18/1
Nuwan Kulasekara drew the first blood for Sri Lanka as he bowled Gautam Gabhir behind his back for only 3.
India had a horrendous start to the series as Virender Sehwag did all kinds of tricks to get himself out. His miss-hits missed the fielders, his efforts to run himself out also made disastrous results as Lankan fielders failed to hit the stumps.
Virat Kohli, however, looked to be in good touch as he slammed a four through the cover region immediately after coming onto the pitch. India were 18/1 after 5 overs.
Indian captain MS Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first against the hosts Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the five-match series on Saturday.
Indian have included Irfan Pathan as an all-rounder. Dhoni said at the toss that Irfan would bat at No. 7 beside being a pace bowling option.
A recharged Indian team would look for a winning start to the new season but the task won’t be easy against a strong Sri Lankan outfit as the two sides clash in a five-match ODI series starting on Saturday at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.
Barring the Indian Premier League, Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s men have not been in action since their last international outing in South Africa in March.
The hosts, by contrast, have been hungry Tigers on prey. They beat Pakistan at home in both ODIs and Tests, outplaying the high-riding opponents with a clinical performance.
India Squad
MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Manoj Tiwary
Sri Lanka Squad
Mahela Jayawardene (c), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Chamara Kapugedera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana
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