India triumph; Sri Lanka D(hon)isappointed

India made just one change to their playing eleven – Virender Sehwag made way for Ajinkya Rahane.

Sri Lanka made a couple of Cha(mara)nges to the eleven that (Mahe)last played the Indians – Jayawardene and Rangana Herath made way for Kapugedera and Sachithra Senanayake.

On winning the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper, chose to bat.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 53, and lost a wicket.

Rahane, whose 17-ball innings included a boundary, scored nine. Thirty-one balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Thisara Perera, who broke the 29-run stand.

India scored 50 off 8.5 overs (53 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded five extras at that point.

Virat Kohli, the player of the series, scored 23. His 35-ball innings included a couple of boundaries. Fifty-six balls after Rahane’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Nuwan Pradeep, who broke the 48-run stand.

It was at that point that the first drinks break was taken. India had conceded 77 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. Gautam Gambhir was batting on 40.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the bowling Powerplay – was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. They scored 22, and lost a wicket.

Rohit Sharma faced nine balls, scoring four. His runs came by way of a boundary. Fifteen balls after Kohli’s dismissal, Pradeep broke the 10-run stand.

India scored 100 off 20.4 overs (124 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point.

Gambhir’s half-century – which included seven boundaries – came off 51 balls.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 65 balls. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 19, Manoj Tiwary’s contribution to it was 27. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was four.

India scored 150 off 29.5 overs (179 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded nine extras at that point.

Thirty-four overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 172 for the loss of three wickets at that point. While Gambhir was batting on 81, Tiwary was batting on 46.

Tiwary’s half-century – which included four boundaries – came off 58 balls.

The third Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the batting Powerplay – was between the 36^th and the 40^th over. They scored 39, and lost three wickets.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 100 off 115 balls. While Gambhir’s contribution to the partnership was 39, Manoj Tiwary’s contribution to it was 56. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was five.

Tiwary, whose 68-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries, eventually scored 65. A hundred and twenty-one balls after Sharma’s dismissal, he was caught by Perera. Lasith Malinga broke the 110-run partnership.

The fifth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Suresh Raina, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. The (Thiriman)next ball, he was caught by Lahiru off the bowling of Malinga.

India scored 200 off 37.4 overs (226 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 15 extras at that point.

Gambhir, whose 99-ball innings included seven boundaries, scored 88. Ten balls after Raina’s dismissal, he was caught by Malinga. Senanayake broke the 16-run stand.

India scored 250 off 44.3 overs (267 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 15 extras at that point.

The seventh-wicket pair put on 50 off 40 balls. While Dhoni’s contribution to the partnership was 28, the contribution of Irfan Pathan, the player of the match, to it was 22. Extras didn’t contribute to the partnership.

Dhoni’s half-century – which included seven boundaries and a six – came off 34 balls. He eventually faced 58 off 38 balls, which included eight boundaries and a six. Fifty-nine balls after Gambhir’s dismissal, he was caught by Dinesh Chandimal. Malinga broke the 77-run partnership.

Pathan, whose 28-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 29. He was unbeaten, as was Ravichandran Ashwin, who faced five balls, scoring a couple.

Sri Lanka eventually conceded 16 extras. India scored 294 for the loss of seven wickets off 50 overs. Angelo Mathews, who was leading the team, and Jeevan Mendis bowled four wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 29, the latter conceded 25.

Perera and Senanayake bowled 10 overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 53, the latter conceded 50. Pradeep, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 63. He picked up a couple of wickets. Malinga, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 64. He picked up three scalps.

The first Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 74, and lost a couple of wickets.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, who faced three balls, didn’t get off the mark. Nine balls into the match, he was caught by Zaheer Khan. Pathan broke the 13-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 50 off half-a-dozen overs (36 balls). India had conceded a dozen extras at that point.

Upul Tharanga, whose 21-ball innings included four boundaries, scored 31. Thirty-eight balls later, he was caught by Rahane. Pathan broke the 48-run stand.

Chandimal, who faced eight balls, scored as many. His runs came by way of boundaries. Fourteen balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Ashok Dinda, who broke the 13-run stand.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 15. Mathews, whose 16-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 13. Nineteen balls later, Tiwary ran him out.

Sri Lanka scored 100 off 15 overs (90 balls). India had conceded 15 extras at that point.

In fact, it was at that point that the first drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 100 for the loss of four wickets at that point.  While Thirimanne was batting on 24, Kapugedera was batting on nine.

The second Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the bowling Powerplay – was between the 16^th and the 20^th over. They scored 22, and lost a wicket.

Although his innings included a boundary, Kapugedera had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he didn’t add to the aforementioned score. Eleven balls after Mathews’ dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Khan, who broke the 13-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 150 off 28.3 overs (171 balls). India had conceded 21 extras at that point.

The sixth-wicket pair put on 50 off 85 balls. While Thirimanne’s contribution to the partnership was 21, Mendis’ contribution to it was 25. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was four.

Thirimanne’s half-century – which included five boundaries – came off 81 balls.

Sri Lanka scored 200 off 35.2 overs (212 balls). India had conceded 25 extras at that point.

The sixth-wicket pair put on 100 off 121 balls. While Thirimanne’s contribution to the partnership was 52, Mendis’ contribution to it was 39. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was nine.

The sixth-wicket pair eventually put on 102. Thirimanne, whose (Dho)ninety-six-ball innings included the aforementioned number of boundaries and three sixes, eventually scored 77. A hundred and twenty-four balls after Kapugedera’s dismissal, Kohli, Khan and the wicketkeeper ran him out.

It was at that point that the second drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 204 for the loss of half-a-dozen wickets at that point. Mendis was batting on 40.

Mendis’ half-century – which included four boundaries – came off 71 balls.

Sri Lanka scored 250 off 41.5 overs (251 balls). India had conceded 28 extras at that point.

Perera, whose 19-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 18. Forty balls later, he was caught by Kohli. Pathan broke the 48-run stand.

Mendis, whose 88-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries, eventually scored 72. Three balls later, he was caught by Dhoni. Pathan broke the four-run stand.

Senanayake had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he scored as many. A couple of overs later, Pathan broke the 10-run stand.

Malinga, whose nine-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 10. Four balls later, he was caught by Raina. Dinda broke the eight-run stand.

Pradeep, who didn’t face a ball, was unbeaten.

India eventually conceded 29 extras. Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for 274 off 45.4 overs, lost by 20 runs.

Tiwary and Kohli bowled a wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 14, the latter conceded three.

Raina bowled a couple of wicketless overs, conceding 12. Sharma bowled half-a-dozen wicketless overs, conceding 23.  Ashwin bowled nine wicketless overs, conceding 37.

Khan bowled nine overs, including a maiden. He conceded 53, picking up a wicket. Dinda bowled 7.4 overs, conceding 55. He picked up a couple of wickets. Pathan bowled 10 overs, conceding 61. He picked up five scalps.

India won the five-match series 4-1.