Kohli and Karthik tons help India beat Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik both hit centuries as India warmed up
the forthcoming Champions Trophy with an impressive five-wicket win
against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on Saturday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team looked up against it when Sri Lanka
posted an imposing total of 333-5 after being put into bat.
But Kohli smashed 144 from 120 balls and Karthik blasted 106 not out
from only 81 balls to lead India to victory with one over to spare.
India were struggling at 62-3 in the 13th over and then 110-4 in the
21st over before Kohli and Karthik came to the rescue.
Kohli hit 11 fours and three sixes, while Karthik notched up 12 fours
and two sixes as he and Dhoni, who scored 18 not out, helped India
finish on 337-5.
India play their second warm-up game against Australia on June 4 in
Cardiff before opening their Champions Trophy campaign against South
Africa at the same venue two days later.
Kusal Perera and Tillekaratne Dilshan had caused plenty of problems
for the Indian bowling attack in a blistering start for the Sri Lanka
openers.
Dilshan hit nine fours and one six in his 84, while Perera scored 82
off 94 balls, including three sixes.
That pair added 160 runs in 26 overs before both retired in order to
allow other batsmen get some match practice.
However, even Sri Lanka's daunting total wasn't enough to keep India
at bay.
India opener Shikhar Dhawan was run out in the second over as he
failed to beat Lahiru Thirimanne's direct hit.
Murali Vijay was dismissed for 18, caught by Thirimanne off Shaminda
Eranga and Rohit Sharma fell for just five in the 13th over.
But Suresh Raina started the recovery with a quickfire 34.
When he departed India needed 223 runs for a win at an asking rate
approaching eight an over but Kohli and Karthik kept their cool.
Kohli, in particular, stamped his class with some beautiful shots all
over the park.
When he was out in the 44th over, India needed 38 runs from 37 balls
for a win with five wickets in hand and Karthik and Dhoni finished the
job.
Sri Lanka
K. Perera retired out 82
T. Dilshan retired out 84
M. Jayawardene c Pathan b I Sharma 30
K. Sangakkara c Ashwin b Mishra 45
D. Chandimal c Dhoni b Kumar 46
T. Pereranot out 26
L. Dilhara not out 6
Extras (b5, lb3, w4, nb2) 14
Total (for 5 wickets) 333
Fall of wickets: 1-160 (Perera), 2-195 (Dilshan),
3-209 (Jayawardene), 4-279 (Sangakkara), 5-325 (Chandimal)
Bowling: I Pathan 5-0-45-0, B Kumar 8-0-58-1, I Sharma 6-0-41-1,
R Vinay Kumar 7-0-42-0, R Ashwin 8-0-45-0, RA Jadeja 8-0-41-0, A Mishra 8-0-53-1
India
S. Dhawan run out (Thirimanne) 1
M. Vijay c Thirimanne b Eranga 18
V. Kohli c Chandimal b Eranga 144
R. Sharma c Kulasekara b T Perera 5
S. Raina b Senanayake 34
D. Karthik not out 106
M. Dhoni not out 18
Extras (b2, lb4, w5) 11
Total (5 wickets; 49 overs) 337
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Dhawan), 2-52 (Vijay), 3-62 (R Sharma),
4-110 (Raina), 5-296 (Kohli)
Bowling: N Kulasekara 9-0-56-0, A Mathews 5-0-26-0, S Eranga 9-0-60-2,
T Perera 6-0-34-1, S Senanayake 6-0-42-1, R Herath 7-0-44-0,
J Mendis 3-0-31-0, T Dilshan 3-0-20-0, L Dilhara 1-0-18-0 |