Dilshan’s century guides Sri Lanka to three-wicket win
By IANSFriday, December 18, 2009
NAGPUR - Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a flamboyant century as Sri Lanka won their second One-day International against India by three wickets here Friday.
Dilshan hit 123 as Sri Lanka achieved the target of 302 with five balls to spare. All-rounder Angelo Matthews scored a valuable 37 not out to see the visitors home safely with three wickets in hand. Dilshan, who hit his second consecutive hundred in the series, was also adjudged Man of the Match.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s 107 went in vain as shoddy fielding hit India hard again as Sri Lanka drew level 1-1 in the five-match series.
Chasing 302, Sri Lanka were always on track as openers Upul Tharanga (37) and Dilshan gave a good start with their 102-run stand. Tharanga hit five fours during his 42-ball knock. Both displayed some powerful hitting to put the Indians on the backfoot. Dilshan’s 113-ball innings was studded with 12 fours and two sixes.
Kumar Sangakkara (21) and Mahela Jaywardene (39) got starts but couldn’t convert them into big scores. Sangakkara was run out after a mix-up with Dilshan while Zaheer Khan picked up Jayawardene, who edged it to Dhoni, as Sri Lanka slumped to 232 for four.
Thilina Kadamby (27) and Matthews got back Sri Lanka on track with their patient knocks.
In the last two overs, Sri Lanka needed 10 runs from 12 balls. But a sloppy work by Zaheer gave Sri Lanka a boundary that reduced the equation. Matthews held his nerves to see the visitor’s through.
Earlier, Dhoni century helped India recover from a poor start and post 301 for seven in 50 overs.
Opting to bat first, India were reduced to 132 for four before Dhoni’s sixth ODI century guided the home team to put up a challenging total on board. Suresh Raina (68) and Virat Kohli (54) also scored valuable half-centuries.
For Sri Lanka, debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv picked up three for 51.
Dhoni and Raina (68) displayed some powerful hitting in their 126-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Dhoni, who got three lives including a clear stumping chance off mysterious spinner Ajantha Mendis when on 49, hit two sixes and eight fours during his 111-ball knock. Raina smashed three sixes and four boundaries in his 55-ball innings as India hammered 102 runs in the last 10 overs.
On a batting friendly track, India lost two quick wickets early on and were reduced to 19 for two but Sachin Tendulkar (43) and Kohli added 62 for the third-wicket to steady the innings.
Tendulkar, who made his debut on this very date against Pakistan in 1989, also completed his 20 years in One-Day Internationals.
Opener Virender Sehwag (4), who struck a blazing century in the last match in Rajot, was caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara while going for a cut short off seamer Chanaka Welegedara in the match’s first over.
Sangakkara had a unimpressive day behind the stumps as he missed two easy chances of catch and stumping in successive deliveries that allowed Dhoni to score a century.
