JOIN USJadeja magic floors Lanka
Until Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga first, and then Sangakkara himself and Tharanga were at the crease, there was hardly any respite for the home bowlers after Sri Lanka opted to bat first. But once the two partnerships were separated, the first by Ashish Nehra and the second by Virender Sehwag, the Lankan innings fell apart.
The Sri Lankans were bowled out for an anemic 239 all out, and India stormed to 242 for three to win by seven wickets and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series at the Barabati stadium on Monday.
While the willows of Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar had their say, it was the fast-improving Ravindra Jadeja’s four-wicket burst earlier that tilted the balance in India’s favour.
Blazing Sehwag
Sehwag, standing in for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, set the perfect tone for the Indian chase, bludgeoning his way to a 28-ball 44 (9x4). Sehwag’s fireworks were then followed by the assuredness of Tendulkar. The veteran warmed up with two neatly executed fours before allowing Sehwag to have his way.
The base was there and the target was small, but India still had to guard against complacency on a pitch that had something for bowlers willing to bend their backs.
However, with Tendulkar (96 n.o., 104b, 13x4) marshalling the chase, India had little cause for worry. In Gautam Gambhir’s company, the Mumbaikar realised 72 for the second wicket and added 42 with Yuvraj Singh, who was playing his first game since suffering a hairline fracture during the Mohali T20 international on December 12.
The dismissals of Gambhir and Yuvraj might have led to a few butterflies in the Indan camp, but with Dinesh Kaarthick producing a smart cameo (36 n.o., 32b, 5x4, 1x6), the 36-year-old guided India to a facile victory with plenty to spare. Tendulkar appeared headed for a 46th one-day ton before Kaarthick’s late flourish left him stranded just four runs short.
After Nehra and Sehwag provided the crucial breakthroughs, Jadeja ripped the heart out of the Lankan middle-order in the afternoon in a fine spell of left-arm spin bowling.
The youngster returned career best figures of four for 32, primarily responsible for Lanka being kept down to a smallish score. Jadeja started the slide by clipping the off-bail of Tharanga (73, 81b, 6x4, 1x6) with a big turner.
He then a
ccounted for Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara and Ajantha Mendis to keep the Lankan batsmen at bay.
With a miserly Harbhajan Singh (1/29) applying pressure from the other end, India maintained a tight leash in the middle overs. Even Ishant Sharma, who was given a hiding by the merciless Dilshan, redeemed himself, dismissing Thilina Kandamby and Suraj Randiv off successive balls.
Dilshan (41, 18b, 10x4) got off to a flier, treating Zaheer Khan and Ishant with utter disdain. It wasn’t an ideal start for India as Zhaeer, unable to control the swing, sent down three wides besides conceding two fours in the opening over. Ishant, who replaced Praveen Kumar, was welcomed by Dilshan with a smacking four and he then followed it up with two more. Zaheer’s next over went for 12 while Ishant conceded 19 as the Lankan innings motored along like a jet-powered engine.
Kaarthick’s failed attempt to run out Dilshan with the batsman nowhere near the crease had attracted angry reactions from his senior mates.
But the let-off didn’t prove costly when the stumper soon held on to a skier from Dilshan off Nehra. The joy, however, wasn’t going to last too long as Tharanga and Sangakkara (46, 41b, 3x4, 1x6) maintained the momentum without the brutality of Dilshan.
Brisk stand
The left-handed combination raised a brisk 100 runs and at 165 for one after 22 overs, Lanka were threatening to bury India under a mountain of runs when things took a dramatic turn.
Stepping out to lash Sehwag, Sangakkara missed the line as the ball turned away from him and Kaarthick effected the stumping despite fumbling initially. After this, it was a steep fall for the visitors, who lost their remaining eight wickets for 74 runs to become the first side in the series to be bowled out.
Score Board
SRI LANKA
Tharanga b Jadeja 73
(81b, 6x4, 1x6)
Dilshan c Kaarthick b Nehra 41
(18b, 10x4)
Sangakkara St K’thick b Sehwag 46
(41b, 3x4, 1x6)
J’dene c Raina b Harbhajan 2
(12b)
Kandamby b Ishant 22
(29b, 3x4)
Kapugedera b Jadeja 15
(28b)
Kulasekara lbw Jadeja 10
(14b, 1x4)
Randiv c Kaarthick b Ishant 0
(1b)
Malinga b Jadeja 6
(13b)
Mendia b Jadeja 6
(13b)
Welegedera (not out) 2
(4b)
Extras (B-1, LB-2, W-6) 9
Total (all out, 44.2 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Dilshan), 2-165 (Sangakkara), 3-169 (Tharanga), 4-173 (Jayawardene), 5-204 (Kapugedera), 6-210 (Kandamby), 7-210 (Randiv), 8-218 (Kulasekara), 9-236 (Mendis).
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 7-0-49-0 (w-4), Ishant Sharma 7-0-63-2, Ashish Nehra 6.2-0-22-2 (w-1), Harbhajan Singh 9-0-29-1 (w-1), Virender Sehwag 4-0-26-1, Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-32-4, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-5-0.
Runs during: Power Play 1: 1-10 overs: 86/1; Power Play 2: 11-15 overs: 36/0; Power Play 3 (batting): 44-48 overs: 1/1.
INDIA
Sehwag c Dilshan b Welegdera 44
(28b, 9x4)
Tendulkar (not out) 96
(104b, 13x4)
Gambhir c & b Randiv 32
(52b, 3x4)
Yuvraj c Sangakkara b W’dara 23
(40b, 3x4)
Kaarthick (not out) 36
(32b, 5x4, 1x6)
Extras (LB-5, W-6) 11
Total (for 3 wkts, 42.4 overs) 242
Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Sehwag), 2-127 (Gambhir), 3-169 (Yuvraj),
Bowling: Chanaka Welegdera 8-1-35-2 (w-1), Nuwan Kulasekara 8-0-47-0, Lasith Malinga 9.4-1-55-0 (w-1), Ajantha Mendis 9-0-67-0 (w-4), Suraj Randiv 8-1-33-1.
Runs during: Power Play 1: 1-10 overs: 66/1; Power Play 2: 11-15 overs: 36/0; Power Play 3 (batting): Not taken.