Sri Lankan player not only win the third test match by eight wickets at P.Sara stadium but also shattered the dreams of Indians of registering a series win against Lions after 15 years.
But it was already cleared yesterday at the end of third day's play when India struggling at 161/5 at stumps with lead of just 14 runs. After putting a horrible show with the bat in the first inning Indians needed to show some brilliant effort with the bat but once again there batters don't know how to play the ball with bat. Only R.Dravid (68 runs) and V.V.S Laxman (61 runs) showed some form with the bat but this also was too late for the Indians.
When play started on day four many of the Indian fans including me hoping to repeat the miracle which was happened in 2001 against Australia at eden gardens by both the overnight not out batsman but new Sri Lankan sensation A.Mendis picked Rahul Dravid with a beauty of delivery and then it was only matter of times for the Sri Lanka to wrap up the Indian innings.
It was left to VVS Laxman with Harbhajan Sing to add invaluable runs to the total. But after Lunch Sri Lankan skipper taken new ball to remove the rest of lowere Indian ordres with V.V.S Laxman remains not out on 61.
Despite fighting half-centuries and a partnership of 85 for the sixth wicket and 37 for the eighth between Laxman and Bhajji, it is India's failure in their first innings to put a substantial total on the board, that resulted in Anil Kumble's India struggling as the much-needed partnerships failed to materialise until Dravid and Laxman displayed their class and elegance in a trench warfare effort to overcome tricky pitch conditions and two spinners in top form.
Needing 122 runs to win the match and clinch the series Sri Lankan dressing room was in liitle uncertainty when Harbhajan Singh bowled M.Vandort in his very first over. At 45/2 at tea time they needed a partnership to avoid any further hiccups in the dressing room. With K.Sangkara (4 runs) and M.Vandort (8 runs) back in the hurt it was all on skipper M.Jayawardne and M.Warnapura to guide the Sri Lankan inning to safety.
Both did exactly what were situation required, M.Jayawardne (50 runs) and M.Warnapura (54 runs) put on an unbeaten 101 run partnership for the third wicket to guide Sri Lanka to eight wickets win over Indians.
K.Sangkara declared Man of the Match for his brilliant 144 runs during 1st inning.
A.Mendis was declared Man of the Series for his record breaking 26 wickets in the three match test series.
