Dhoni excels; India, SL advance

India made a couple of Cha(wla)nges to theiR Playing eleven – Yusuf Pathan and Piyush made way for Pragyan Ojha and Singh.

Sri Lanka made F(ernand)our Cha(minda)nges to their playing eleven – Dilruwan Perera, Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Ishara Amerasinghe made way for Kaushalya Weeraratne, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara and Dilhara.

On winning the toss, Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s skipper, chose to bat. Kumar Sangakkara, whose 10-ball innings included a boundary, had no reason to be in seventh heaven – 23 balls into the (Shar)match, he was caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper and the player of the match. Ishant broke the 16-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 50 off 8.5 overs (53 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. The second Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 42 balls. While Jayasuriya’s contribution to the partnership waS(ana)thirty-six, Jayawardene’s contribution to it was a dozen. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a couple.

Jayasuriya, whose 37-ball innings included eight boundaries, eventually scored 43. Forty-seven balls later, he was caught by Dhoni. Ishant broke the 55-run partnership.

Fifteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 87 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Jayawardene was batting on 22, Chamara Kapugedera was in seventh heaven.

The third Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. Sri Lanka scored 100 off 17.3 overs (105 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 57 balls. While Jayawardene’s contribution to the partnership was 25, Kapugedera’s contribution to it was 26. Extras didn’t contribute to the partnership.

Jayawardene’s half-century - which included four boundaries – came off 62 balls. He eventually faced 63 balls, failing to add to the aforementioned score. Eighty-nine balls later, he was caught by Gautam Gambhir. Ojha broke the 78-run partnership.

Sri Lanka scored 150 off 26.4 overs (160 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. Kapugedera’s half-century - which included half-a-dozen boundaries – came off 55 balls.

Thirty-four overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 194 for the loss of three wickets at that point. While Kapugedera was batting on 67, Chamara Silva was batting on 18.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 52 balls. While Kapugedera’s contribution to the partnership was 28, Silva’s contribution to it was 21. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Sri Lanka scored 200 off 35.1 overs (212 balls). India had conceded nine extras at that point. Kapugedera, whose 78-ball innings included seven boundaries and a six, eventually scored 75. Sixty-six balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Kumar, who broke the 68-run partnership.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, whose 19-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 15. Thirty balls later, he was caught by R P. Irfan Pathan broke the 28-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 250 off 42.5 overs (259 balls). India had conceded 14 extras at that point.The sixth-wicket pair put on 18. Silva, whose 56-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, eventually scored 50. Sixteen balls later, R P and Dhoni ran him out.

Weeraratne – who never represented Sri Lanka in One-day Internationals again – scored 23. His 18-ball innings included three boundaries. Eighteen balls later, he was caught by Gambhir. R P broke the 24-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 300 off 49.3 overs (300 balls). India had conceded 15 extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

The eighth-wicket pair put on 20. Thushara, whose 14-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 23. Ten balls later, Gambhir and Dhoni ran him out.

Kulasekara, whose four-ball innings included a boundary, scored half-a-dozen. He was unbeaten, as was Muttiah Muraltharan, who faced a ball, scoring a run.

Sri Lanka scored 308 for the loss of eight wickets off 50 overs. Rohit Sharma, who bowled an over, conceded four. He was wicketless, as was Virender Sehwag, who bowled three overs, conceding 26. Kumar, who bowled half-a-dozen overs, conceded 36. He picked up a wicket.

Irfan, Ojha and R P – whose spell included a maiden – bowled 10 overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. They conceded 80, 55 and 44, respectively. Ishant, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 55. He picked up a couple of scalps.

India’s openers scored 50 off 6.2 overs (40 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded four extras at that point. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 21, Sehwag’s contribution to it was 25.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over. Sehwag, whose 34-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six, eventually scored 42. Seventy balls into the chase, he was caught by Fernando. Kulasekara broke the 92-run partnership.

India scored 100 off 13 overs (83 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at point gave Sri Lanka no reason to be in seventh heaven. Gambhir’s half-century – which included nine boundaries – came off 45 balls.

Fifteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 110 for the loss of a wicket at that point. While Gambhir was batting on 52, Suresh Raina was batting on nine.

The third Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. Gambhir, whose 61-ball innings included 11 boundaries, eventually scored 68. Fifty-two balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Muralitharan, who broke the 43-run stand.

India scored 150 off 24 overs (149 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded seven extras at that point. The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 60 balls. While Raina’s contribution to the partnership was 26, Dhoni’s contribution to it was 23. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Thirty-one overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 188 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Raina was batting on 45, Dhoni was batting on 25.

India scored 200 off 31.5 overs (196 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 11 extras at that point. While Raina’s half-century – which included three boundaries – came off 63 balls, Dhoni’s half-century – which included four boundaries and a six – came off 49 balls.

The third-wicket pair put on 99. Raina, who faced 63 balls, eventually scored 54. Ninety-two balls after Gambhir’s dismissal, Jayasuriya and the wicketkeeper (Sangakka)ran him out.

India scored 250 off 37.1 overs (230 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 17 extras at that point. The man from Ranchi eventually scored 67. His 62-ball innings included five boundaries and a six. Fourteen balls after Raina’s dismissal, Muralitharan broke the (Dho)nineteen-run stand.

India scored 300 off 46.2 overs (286 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 21 extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

The fifth-wicket pair put on 50 off 53 balls. While Yuvraj Singh’s contribution to the partnership was 28, Rohit’s contribution to it was 22. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Yuvraj, whose 31-ball innings included three boundaries and a six, eventually scored 36. He was unbeaten, as was Rohit, who didn’t add to the aforementioned score. His 28-ball innings included a couple of boundaries.

India, who scored 310 for the loss of four wickets off 46.5 overs, won by half-a-dozen wickets with 19 balls to spare. Dilshan, who bowled a couple of wicketless overs, conceded 10.

Jayasuriya, who bowled three wicketless overs, conceded 19. Weeraratne, who bowled five wicketless overs, conceded 36.

Thushara, who bowled eight wicketless overs, conceded 67. Fernando, who bowled nine wicketless overs, conceded 52. Kulasekara, who bowled 9.5 overs, conceded 71. He picked up a wicket. Muralitharan, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 44. He picked up a couple of scalps.

Both the Indians and the Sri Lankans advanced.