Cricket

India v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI: India make it 4-0

India won their fourth consecutive ODI and their ninth on the run overall as they won the fourth match of the series against Sri Lanka. They now lead 4-0 in the series.

Electing to bat first, Indian made 332/5 with the help of knocks from Gautam Gambhir (150) and Dhoni (94). Suresh Raina remained unbeaten on 49 runs. Gambhir became the first Indian batsman to make 150 on the Lankan soil against the hosts.

His feat was soon overshadowed by the Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan who dismissed the Indian opener as his 503rd victim and became highest wicket-taker in the One-Day Internationals. He also became world’s most successful bowler with 769 Test wickets. However, it was Nuwan Kulasekara who picked three Indian wickets to slow down India’s run-riot.

After Sehwag’s early fall, MS Dhoni (94) and Gambhir consolidated India’s innings and added 188 runs for the second wicket when Sanath Jayasuriya deprived the Indian captain from raising his hundred.

Chasing 333 runs to win, Sri Lanka lost their openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakratne Dilshan to Irfan Pathan and Praveen Kumar respectively.

Jayasuriya along with Tillakratne Dilshan gave a blistering start to his side. He made quickfire 27 runs before Irfan send him back. Sanath hit it straight to Rohit Sharma at short cover. Dilshan top-edged Praveen’s short stuff and gave Yuvraj a simple catch at point. After their dismissal, the game was disrupted following the unruly crowd behaviour. Indian skipper Dhoni, who was apparently upset, took his team off the field.

In-form batsman Thilina Kandamby’s outing was cut short by Yusuf Pathan who dismissed him as the fourth Sri Lankan wicket. Yusuf’s tweaker drifted back in and rapped Kandamby on his pads to see him back for 10 runs. He fell soon after Kumar Sangakkara’s 47th ODI fifty, which was his sixth against India. India’s part-time spinner Virender Sehwag dismissed Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene for 28 runs. In reply to India’s 332/5, Sri Lanka were bundled for 265 runs.

The fifth and final match will be played on Sunday and India will be hoping to make it 5-0.

Tags: India, sri lanka