Dhoni-led India beat the iSLanders

India made a couple of changes to their playing eleven – Gautam Gambhir and Pragyan Ojha made way for One-day International debutant Subramaniam Badrinath and Praveen Kumar. Sri Lanka made just one Cha(minda)nge to the eleven that last played the Indians – Vaas made way for Dilhara Fernando.

On winning the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper, inserted the hosts. Kumar Sangakkara, who faced 10 balls, scored just a couple. A couple of overs into the match, Zaheer Khan, the player of the match, broke the four-run stand.

Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s skipper, faced 10 balls, scoring just a couple. Twenty-two balls (Mahe)later, he was caught by Yuvraj Singh. Khan broke the six-run stand. The third-wicket didn’t get off the mark. Chamara Kapugedera, who faced a couple of balls, D(hon)idn’t open his account. A couple of balls later, he was caught behind off the bowling of Khan.

Chamara Silva, who faced a couple of balls, didn’t open his account. An over after Kapugedera’s dismissal, he was caught by Virat Kohli. Praveen Kumar broke the one-run stand.

The second Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over. Jayasuriya, whose 37-ball innings included a boundary, scored (Sana)thirteen. Forty-one balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Khan, who broke the 22-run stand.

Eighty-seven balls into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 34 for the loss of five wickets at that point. While Tillakaratne Dilshan was batting on 14, Nuwan Kulasekara hadn’t opened his account.

The third Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. Dilshan, whose 33-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 16. Twenty-one balls after Jayasuriya’s dismissal, he was caught by Badrinath. Irfan Pathan broke the 11-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 50 off 20.2 overs (124 balls). India had conceded five extras at that point. The seventh-wicket pair put on 50 off 78 balls. While Kulasekara’s contribution to the partnership was 11, Thilan Thushara’s contribution to it was 30. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was nine.

Sri Lanka scored 100 off 30.2 overs (187 balls). India had conceded a dozen extras at that point. Thirty-two overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 111 for the loss of half-a-dozen wickets at that point. While Kulasekara was batting on 22, Thushara was batting on 43.

Thushara, whose 46-ball innings included seven boundaries, eventually scored 44. Ninety-five balls after Dilshan’s dismissal, he was caught by Kohli. Kumar broke the 74-run partnership.

The eighth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Kulasekara, whose 62-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 25. Three balls later, he was caught by Badrinath off the bowling of Kumar.

Ajantha Mendis, who faced a ball, didn’t get off the mark. Three balls later, he was caught by Harbhajan Singh, who broke the four-run stand. Dilhara, whose run-a-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored a (Fernan)dozen. Twenty-six balls later, he was caught by Kohli. Harbhajan broke the 20-run stand.

Muttiah Muralitharan, whose 16-ball innings included a boundary, scored 11. He was unbeaten. India eventually conceded 17 extras. Sri Lanka were bundled out for 142 off 38.3 overs. Yuvraj Singh, who bowled a couple of overs, conceded 10. He was wicketless, as was Munaf Patel, who bowled half-a-dozen overs, including a maiden. He conceded 24.

Pathan, who bowled five overs, conceded 21. He picked up a wicket. Harbhajan, who bowled 5.4 overs, conceded 26. He picked up a couple of wickets. Kumar bowled 10 overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 34, picking up three wickets. Khan bowled 9.5 overs, including three maidens. He conceded 21, picking up four scalps.

Pathan, who was promoted to open the innings, scored five. His eight-ball innings included a boundary. Sixteen balls into the chase, he was caught by Sangakkara. Kulasekara broke the eight-run stand.

Suresh Raina, who faced four balls, scored a run. Ten balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Kulasekara, who broke the eight-run stand.

Five overs into the chase, the teams had lunch. India had scored 17 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Kohli had no reason to be in seventh heaven, Yuvraj had scored just a run.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 11^th and the 15^th over. India scored 50 off 14.1 overs (87 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded three extras at that point. Yuvraj, whose 32-ball innings included four boundaries, scored 20. Sixty-three balls after Raina’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Mendis, who broke the 36-run stand.

The third Powerplay of India’s innings was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. Kohli, whose 67-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries, eventually scored 37. Twenty-nine balls after Yuvraj’s dismissal, he was caught by Kapugedera. Thushara broke the 23-run stand.

The fifth-wicket pair didn’t get off the (Shar)mark. Rohit, who faced a couple of balls, didn’t open his account. A couple of balls later, he was T(husha)rapped leg before wicket.

Twenty-two overs into the chase, the drinks break was taken. India had scored 88 for the loss of five wickets at that point. While the man from Ranchi was batting on (Dho)nineteen, Badrinath was batting on a run.

India scored 100 off 24.5 overs (152 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point. The sixth-wicket pair put on 50 off 76 balls. While Dhoni’s contribution to the partnership was 28, Badrinath’s contribution to it was 17. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was five.

Dhoni, whose 54-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 39. Ninety-five balls after Rohit’s dismissal, Fernando broke the 60-run partnership. Badrinath, whose 57-ball innings included a boundary, eventually scored 27. He was unbeaten.

Harbhajan, whose faced half-a-dozen balls, scored a run. Nine balls later, he was trapped leg be‘four’ wicket by Mendis. Khan, who scored a couple, was unbea‘ten’.

Sri Lanka eventually conceded 11 extras. India, who scored 143 for the loss of seven wickets off 39.4 overs, won by three wickets with 62 balls to spare. Muralitharan, who bowled 8.4 wicketless overs, conceded 31. Fernando, who bowled five overs, conceded 25. He picked up a wicket.

Thushara bowled seven overs, including a maiden. He conceded 32, picking up a couple of wickets. Kulasekara bowled 10 overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 26, picking up a couple of wickets. Mendis bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 22, picking up a couple of scalps.

India levelled the five-match series 1-1.