India can pull off win in 3rd Test: Misra

Fri, Aug 06 10 07:21 PM

T V Sriram Colombo, Aug 6 (PTI) The third Test is tantalisingly poised after three Indian wickets fell in a chase of 257 but spinner Amit Mishra says India can rely on its batting line up to pull off a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka. Its top order demolished, India need another 204 runs on a wearing track on the final day of the match. "I feel we still have a lot of batting to come. The experienced players in our side are performing. We have confidence that we will win the match," Mishra, who took three wickets today, said after day''s play. "Early on it is difficult to play. But once a batsman is set it is easy to play. Since it is a new ball there is some pressure on us. But once the ball gets older then it becomes good for batting," he said. Sachin Tendulkar will resume the Indian chase tomorrow and players of high calibre such as VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni are next in the line up. India had Sri Lanka on mat after reducing them to 125 for eight but Thilan Samaraweera (83) and Ajantha Mendis (78) raised a defiant 118-run stand for the ninth wicket to help their side set a decent target. Asked why India took so long to finish the Lankan innings despite having the hosts under tremendous pressure, Misra said, "These things keep happening in cricket. Earlier we got seven wickets for 80 run. This is cricket and these things keep happening." "Everybody knows that when the new ball loses its shine and the wicket is slow, it''s good for batting." The leg-spinner said the wicket is such that after spending soome time at the crease, even tail-enders can get runs. He said the lower-order batsmen were not uncomfortable while batting with a senior on the other end. "It is not like that we are only taking singles. The wicket was so easy that single comes easy. The wicket was slow and once the batsman is set it is easy for him to bat." Misra also said that he was not nervous when he was on the verge of getting a hat-trick in the morning session. "I just wanted to bowl in good areas. That is it. Nothing else," he said.

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