Mirando and Kulasekera steer Sri Lanka to a 112 run win
Chris DHAMBARAGE
Dynamic all rounder Thilan Thushara Mirando completed his maiden half
century and Nuwan Kulasekera returned career best figures as Sri Lanka
pulled off a consolation 112 run victory over India in the fifth and
final one day international worked off under lights at the R. Premadasa
Stadium yesterday.
Even then India completed a 3-2 series victory after having lost the
three test series 2-1 last month under the captaincy of Anil Kumble.
Left hander Mirando smashed an unbeaten 54 from 46 deliveries to lift
Sri Lanka to 227 for 6 while adding a record 94 runs for the unbroken
seventh wicket together with Jehan Mubarak.
Paceman Nuwan Kulasekera then produced a hostile spell of bowling as
India were dismissed for 103 runs from 26.3 overs after they were set a
revised victory target of 216 runs from 44 overs following a long
stoppage for bad weather. This was in fact India’s lowest total in Sri
Lanka in a one day international.
A slight drizzle in the 15th over of the innings forced the players
to return back to the dressing room and nearly one and a half hours of
play was lost due to bad weather.
Kulasekera emerged as the highest wicket taker in the series by
dismissing the top four Indian batsmen during a controlled spell of
bowling while mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis polished off the tail with
four quick wickets.
Earlier Thilina Thushara Mirando completed his maiden half century as
Sri Lanka recovered from a middle order collapse to post a competitive
227 for 6. He joined Jehan Mubarak at a critical stage of the innings
after Sri Lanka had slumped to 133 for 6 and in real danger of being
dismissed for less than two hundred runs.
However Mirando and Mubarak got their act together well and
completely changed the situation of the game with some superb batting
and running between the wickets. Thushara reached his fifty from 42
deliveries inclusive of six boundaries and Sri Lanka collected as many
as 84 runs from the last ten overs of the innings.
Mubarak who is on a comeback trail played a good supporting role and
fell short by just three runs from completing his half century. This was
after the two promising players Malinda Warnapura and Mahela Udawatte
had put on 77 runs for the second wicket.
Udawatte playing in his first match of the series certainly proved a
point by stroking a splendid 43 from 55 deliveries inclusive of six
boundaries. Opener Warnapura also made amends for his failure in the
fourth one day international at this same venue by making a useful
contribution of 30 from 44 deliveries with the aid of four boundaries.
However Sri Lanka suffered a double blow in the 18th over while
losing both these players as they slumped to 80 for 3.
Sri Lanka made three changes to the side while resting Muttiah
Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Tillekeratne Dilshan. They were replaced
by Dilhara Fernando, Mahela Udawatte and Jehan Mubarak.
SRI LANKA
S. Jayasuriya c Ojha b Zaheer 1
M. Warnapura c Gambhir b Pathan 30
M. Udawatte lbw b Pathan 43
K. Sangakkara c Gambhir b Rudra Pratap 1
M. Jayawardene c Yuvraj b Ojha 12
C. Kapugedera c Rudra Pratap b Ojha 26
J. Mubarak not out 47
T. Thushara not out 54
EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-1, W-6) 13
TOTAL(for six wickets) 227
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1, 2-78, 3-80, 4-82, 5-104, 6-133
BOWLING: Patel 7-1-20-0, Zaheer 10-1-49-1 (nb1), Rudra Pratap 8-0-54-1 (w3), Pathan 10-0-52-2 (w3),
Ojha 10-4-28-2, Sharma 2-0-7-0, Yuvraj 3-0-11-0.
Overs: 50
INDIA
V. Kohli lbw b Kulasekara 31
G. Gambhir c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 11
Y. Singh b Mendis 17
S. Raina c Fernando b Kulasekara 10
R. Sharma lbw b Kulasekara 3
MS Dhoni b Fernando 1
I. Pathan c Warnapura b Mendis 7
Z. Khan lbw b Mendis 3
RP Singh c Jayawardene b Fernando 4
P. Ojha c Kulasekara b Mendis 5
M. Patel not out 4
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-4) 7
TOTAL:(for all out) 103
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-38, 2-45, 3-70,4-76, 5-79,6-85, 7-90, 8-91, 9-95, 10-103.
BOWLING: Kulasekara 9-2-40-4 (w1), Thushara 6-0-26-0, Fernando 7-1-24-2 (w3), Mendis 4.3-2-10-4.
Overs: 26.3 |
