Yuvraj Singh (117 runs of 95 balls) and Virendra Sehwag (116 runs of 90 balls) scored a swashbuckling century to help India to clinch the IDBI Fortis Wealthinsurance cup. Within six months time this is second time that India able to win the ODI Seriesagainst the home team.
Electing to bat first India scored a mammoth total of 363/5 in their allotted 50 overs with the help of blistering third wicket stand between Yuvraj Singh and Virendra Sehwag. The duo went on to put record 221 runs stand for the third wicket of just 167 balls.
Both Yuvraj and Sehwag looks in sensational form and some poor Sri Lankan fielding did allow both ofthem at start of their inning but after that it was all Viru and Yuvi who murdered Sri Lankan bowling attack and both went on to score blistering century. After being reduced to 24/2 in the fourth over with Sachin Tendulkar once again adjudged leg before for third consecutive time and G.Gambhir unluckily run out, Sri Lanka looks on top at that stage it was Yuvraj Singh who cornered most of the strike, stroking some magnificent boundaries on either side of the wicket.
Sehwag was spectator in the early part of their partnership but once both get going it was nightmare for the Sri Lankan bowlers.Once the duo was dismissed it was up to M.S.Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan to guide India to safe target. Both did what exactly required by putting 85 runs in 69 balls. Yusuf Pathan went on to score his second fifty in one day international with four 4’s and one huge six over long on boundary, while Dhoni remain unbeaten on 35 runs.
During Indian innings M.Muralitharan also went onto equal the world record of Wasim Akram when he dismissed Yuvraj Singh in the 32nd over and now he is just a wicket away from becoming the leading wicket taker in ODI.
Chasing the mammoth total, Sri Lanka folded for 216 in 41.4 overs, despite Kumar Sangakara 83 runs of 82 balls not able to snatch unlikely victory from the hands of Indians. Pragyan Ojha did most of the damage to Sri Lankan batting as he went on to pick four crucial Sri Lankan wickets by conceding just 38 runs in his quota of 10 overs.
Chasing such a huge total, Sri Lanka badly needed a big knock from Sanath Jayasuriya but the veteran opener let the side down today. But Sanath Jayasurya is also not able to handle the pressure of chasing huge target as he dragged P.Kumar ball onto his stump to in the 2nd over of Sri Lankan inning to get out for 1st ball duck.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (30 off 26 balls) sizzled for a while in Sangakkara's company before an inside edge off Zaheer Khan upset his timbers. Like Dilshan, Sri Lankan captain M.Jayawardne also got the start but with the asking run rate mounting all the time he tried something unnatural to throw his wicket away to P.Kumar.
Last match hero T.Kadamby also didn’t last longer as he got out while playing reverse sweep on the bowling of V.Sehwag and in the very next over P.Ojha bowled C.Kapugedara to tighten the noose around the host.
India now takes an unbeatable lead of 3-0 in five match ODI series against Sri Lanka and now they would like to give the chance to some of the other players like L.Balaji and I.Pathan in the next match. Next match will be played at same venue on 5th of February which will be another day/night encounter.
Yuvraj Singh was declared Man of the Match for his swashbuckling centuries of 117 runs of 95 balls.
