Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 06 10 11:57 AM
India and Sri Lanka have faced each other so often in the recent past that matches featuring them have started seeming like reruns. The teams have played each other in three bilateral series over the past 18 months, apart from a tri-series in Lanka ahead of the Champions Trophy last year and, apart from Sreesanth and a few new faces in the Lankan outfit, most players - even the likes of Virat Kohli and Suraj Randiv - are quite familiar with the members in the opposition.
In fact, as Sri Lanka seemed to lose their way in pursuit of their target of 280 after looking comfortable for a major part of the chase, the game seemed to be heading towards a predictable finish as well - with the Lankans choking in the end. That was when 20-year-old Thissara Perera - playing his third ODI - decided to announce himself on the big stage. Walking into bat with 54 required off 39 balls, the left-hander smashed an unbeaten 15-ball 36 to finish the job and give Sri Lanka a five-wicket win with two overs to spare.
At the other end, Thilan Samaraweera, who despite his terrific record in Tests has struggled to replicate that form in the ODI format, was the unlikely hero, scoring his second ton - an unbeaten 106-ball 105 - to guide the pursuit to perfection. While Samaraweera and Sangakkara were involved in their 122-run third-wicket stand, Sri Lanka were in complete control of their chase - just as they were at Rajkot. The Lankan skipper fell to a loose shot for 60, while Thilana Kandamby and Suraj Randiv too fell in quick succession, leaving Perera to blast his team home in the end.
Fiery start
The Indian innings earlier began with the now customary flourish, as Virender Sehwag ensuring India scored at more than a run-a-ball, striking Chanaka Welegedara for a boundary off the second delivery he faced in his innings before hitting Suranga Lakmal for three fours on the trot. The seventh over provided a few entertaining moments, when Welegedara had Sehwag caught behind off a no-ball, and provided the Indian opener with two free-hit opportunities. The tall Lankan left-arm paceman, who earlier bowled Gautam Gambhir for eight, ended the disastrous 10-ball over on a happy note though, getting rid off Virat Kohli. He followed up by bringing the Sehwag show to a premature end in his next over, and for the first time in the match, it seemed like the script was being altered.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni who came in with India at 71 for three in 8.4 overs began slowly, nudging singles and looking to rebuild the innings. He managed to do that in Yuvraj Singh's company - the left-hander striking a fluent 84-ball 74 - but fell just when he looked to go from restorer to aggressor, Perera came into the attack. Perera, who had opened the bowling in his first two ODIs, wasn't brought onto bowl till the 32nd over but he didn't take long to make an impact, first getting Dhoni caught-behind for 37, before accounting for Yuvraj in his third over.
The pair of Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja then added 65 runs between them, before Welegedara returned to pick up the first five-wicket haul of his ODI career. Harbhajan Singh brought some uniqueness into the contest with the comical manner of his dismissal - attempting to hit a full toss wide outside off-stump towards the on-side, he managed only to hit it to point.
India, who had looked on their way to cross the 300-run mark, fell well short, with the left-arm pace duo of Thilan Thushara and Welegedara ensuring that only 18 runs were scored off the last five overs for the loss of four wickets. In the end, the last five overs of both innings had proved to be the deciding factor.
Source: Web Search
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