The electrifying third-wicket stand set India up for their intimidating total

India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in their one-day series in Sri Lanka with an emphatic 147-run in Colombo.

Virender Sehwag (116) and Yuvraj Singh (117) each hit 17 fours in a superb stand of 221 from 28 overs as India amassed 363-5 after choosing to bat.

Muttiah Muralitharan, in his 327th match, took his 502nd one-day wicket to equal the record held by Wasim Akram.

But it was the only consolation for the home side, and Sanath Jayasuriya fell first ball as they were 216 all out.

Muralitharan is already way ahead as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 769 from 125 matches.

But even he was unable to contain India's third-wicket pair, conceding 60 from his 10 overs as the tourists laid the foundation for their eighth successive victory in limited overs internationals.

Sachin Tendulkar made a spectacular start after Mahendra Dhoni won the toss, stepping down the pitch to slam a free hit off the bowling of Dilhara Fernando over long-on for six in the second over, but was was given out lbw five balls later.

Gautam Gambhir was dropped on nought by Thilina Kandamby at point in the next over, but his luck did not last long as a straight drive from Sehwag was deflected on to the stumps by bowler Fernando and the left-hander was stranded out of his ground.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on the ODI in Colombo

Sehwag responded with three successive fours off Nuwan Kulasekara and Yuvraj adopted a similar approach as he smashed four boundaries in an over from Farveez Maharoof.

Sri Lanka turned to veteran all-rounder Jayasuriya to try and break the partnership, but he spilled a routine return catch when Sehwag had reached 80.

Yuvraj then launched Jayasuriya over long-on for a mammoth six as he beat Sehwag to three figures, although his 82-ball effort was seven more than his partner, who reached his hundred by dabbing Mendis to third man for two.

A woeful mis-field from Ajantha Mendis gifted a boundary to Yuvraj, but he finally fell to Murali's next ball when he square cut straight to cover.

Sehwag's majestic innings was ended by a superb direct hit from Jayasuriya at mid-off that left him well short as he pushed for a quick single.

His exit left India on 265-4 with 15 overs remaining but Yusuf Pathan reaced to fifty from only 33 balls, with three sixes, to leave the home side facing a huge task.

Murali is congratulated after equalling Wasim Akram's ODI wicket record

With Sri Lanka needing to score at 7.2 runs an over, they needed a big innings from Jayasuriya, playing his 430th one-day game.

But he tried to cut his first ball from seamer Praveen Kumar and only succeeded in edging it into his off stump.

Tillakaratne Dilshan pulled a four and six off successive balls off Kumar, but having reached 26 he too got an inside edge and saw his stumps shattered.

Kumar Sangakkara played some typically elegant shots, clipping a four off his pads and driving straight down the ground to the boundary in the same over from Zaheer Khan.

He was well supported by his captain, Mahela Jayawardene, who passed 8,000 ODI runs as he flicked three fours in the next over from Ishant Sharma.

But having shared 67 inside 10 overs with Sangakkara, Jayawardene mis-timed one to mid-off and departed for 30.

The main damage was done, however, by Pragyan Ojha, who spun the ball sharply as he worked his way through the middle order.

Ojha claimed the key wicket of Sangakkara, who spooned a pull shot to mid-wicket, and later had Murali caught behind first ball off the bottom edge to finish with 4-38.

A bad day for Sri Lanka ended with a mix-up between Mendis and last man Fernando, which resulted in the latter being run out after slipping with 8.2 overs of their innings still remaining.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version