Fine half-centuries by Mahela Jayawardene, Kumara Sangakarra and Marvan Atapattu followed by Nuwan Zoysa's three wicket burst enabled Sri Lanka score a thrilling 13-run victory over India in the last match of the group stage in the Asia Cup.
Chasing Sri Lanka's total of 282 runs for the loss of four wickets, India fell short despite a valiant 82 by Rahul Dravid.
Sri Lanka innings
The teams were welcomed by a cluster of dark clouds as they made their way to the centre of the ground for the crucial Group 'B' encounter, at the Dambulla Stadium.
The match was crucial because victory could guarantee a psychological edge when the teams match up in phase two of the tournament. Having already qualified for the second round both teams decided to experiment.
India went into the match without VVS Laxman, who was injured while practicing in the nets, and Parthiv Patel was drafted as a specialist wicketkeeper.
For Sri Lanka, Sanath Jayasuriya dropped out due to injury and opener Saman Jayantha kept his place at the top of the order. Lasith Malinga and Thilina Kandamby were also rested, allowing Farveez Maharoof and Chaminda Vaas their first games.
Irfan Pathan conceded only two runs in the first over and Lakshmipathy Balaji conceded one before rain intervened. A one-hour break ensued but no overs were lost as a result.
The sluggish surface that was expected to aid the slow bowlers on both sides changed complexion completely after the break. The atmosphere was pregnant with moisture, and while Pathan seemed to enjoy the prospect of bowling in such conditions, Balaji did not seem too happy.
Balaji was clearly struggling for rhythm, line and length. He has a knack of taking early wickets, but also seems to have trouble controlling the exaggerated swing of the white ball.
But, on the whole, Sri Lanka started very sedately, holding back till the ball got a little older. The openers, Jayantha and Gunawardene, took the total to 47 at the end of ten overs and, in the process, helped lay a solid platform for the other batsmen to follow.
Ganguly was at his wits end as the openers began to take the Indian attack to the cleaners. But he then introduced Balaji into the attack. That did the trick. The wiry pacer sprayed the ball around and then produced a perfect delivery that pitched on the off-stump, held its line and forced Jayantha (34 off 39 balls) to play at it. Patel, behind the stumps, made no mistake and Sri Lanka had lost their first wicket. (63 for 1)
Sri Lanka skipper Marvan Atapattu walked in next and looked tentative. He should have been heading back to the pavilion in the 15th over, but neither the bowler, Zaheer Khan, or wicketkeeper appealed for a caught behind decision.
The hosts continued to maintain a steady run-rate and reached 100 in the 21st over. Gunawardene seemed determined to get a big score and Atapattu found his touch at the other end with a glorious cover drive. India seemed consigned to the gallows, but, as it so often transpires in cricket, when everything seems to be going to plan the unexpected happens.
Disaster struck when Atapattu -- guilty of ball watching -- turned back Gunawardene after the latter was down three-fourths of the wicket. Gunawardene didn't even bother to turn back and Patel's throw allowed Kumble to easily run-out the opener. (128 for 2)
Gunawardene was out just one short of a well-deserved 50.
Atapattu and Sangakkara then put on 28 runs to make sure there was no collapse. Then another mix-up while running between wickets saw Atapattu being dismissed for exactly 50.
This brought Jayawardene and Sangakkara together in what eventually proved to be the most exciting part of the innings. The duo put on 116 off 89 balls to set a challenging target for the Indians.
Both were ready to experiment and their running between wickets was simply superb. They turned lots of ones into twos and put the bowlers completely off their rhythm.
But the shot of the evening belonged to Jayawarene. A full-length delivery from Balaji pitched on middle and leg, Jayawardene moved across his stumps and flicked it without any apparent effort for a four to the fine leg fence. It was a moment that defined the genius of Jayawardene.
In the next over, the 49th of the innings, Pathan got Sangakkara's wicket. A full toss on the middle and leg was hit straight to Ganguly in the covers. The skipper made no mistake. Sangakarra was out for 57 off 54 balls. (272 for 4)
Jayawardene, for his part, scored 58 off just 49 balls, with three boundaries and a six. Sri Lanka reached a very competitive 282 for the loss of just four wickets.
India innings
As openers Sachin Tendulkar and Parthiv Patel walked out to bat, they would have known that a quick start was vital if India were going to successfully chase down the huge Sri Lankan total.
The decision to send Parthiv Patel to open was certainly odd. One wonders how the team management could think that the wicketkeeper would score faster than Virender Sehwag. The youngster never really got into the groove.
Tendulkar, at the other end, tried to get going, but then Zoysa got into the act. The left-arm paceman almost single-handedly put paid to India's hopes of winning the match. A quick three-wicket burst and a superb run-out saw Zoysa tilt the match in Sri Lanka's favour.
He first dismissed Sachin Tendulkar, who had started with a superb straight drive and appeared to fill the void caused by Sehwag's absence. But the master batsman was tempted by a delivery that pitched just outside off-stump. The resultant drive was hit in the air and Jayantha at mid-off dived forward and took the catch inches off the ground. (16 for 1).
Sehwag's arrival to the crease almost always means quick runs, which is why it was odd to see him bat down the order in the first place. A powerful straight drive off Vaas set him on his way but he was lucky to survive a dropped caught and bowled chance off the same bowler.
At the other end, Patel struggled to 6 off 16 balls before edging a fullish delivery from Zoysa to Sangakarra. (33 for 2).
Sourav Ganguly was in next but the rust from long off-season was still evident. The India skipper needs to spend a lot more time in the middle to get back to his best, but at the moment that just isn't happening.
Cutting and driving with élan, Sehwag was at his belligerent best. But then the inexplicable happened. And Zoysa played his part once again.
A direct hit from third man caught Sehwag napping as he went for a second run. Sehwag (37 off 35 balls, 5 x 4) was out by a few inches and India were in big trouble. (71 for 3).
The need of the hour was a partnership but that had to wait a little longer. Ganguly followed Sehwag into the pavilion after miscuing a pull to Muralitharan at midwicket (71 for 4).
Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh then valiantly tried to put together a partnership. They even succeeded to an extent. The going was slow but every run was vital. At the end of the 25th over India were 103 for 4.
The run-rate was climbing, the bowlers were on top and it seemed highly unlikely that India would even get close to the Sri Lankan total. But then Dravid showed how much he has grown as an ODI batsman.
The duo settled and then started to throw their bats around. The runs started to come that little bit quicker. India got their first fifty off 62 balls, the second fifty came off 91, the third came off 57 and the fourth came off just 49 balls.
They were clearly back in the match and the hosts were starting to panic. India reached 200 in the 40th over.
But then Yuvraj got out at the most inappropriate time. A good length delivery from Vaas tempted him into the pull, but he only managed to get a top-edge and Sangakkara took a good running catch behind the stumps.
Kaif came in next and the runs kept coming at almost the same rate. India needed 50 off the last five overs with five wickets in hand. A hard task, but not an impossible one. India needed Dravid to continue batting in the same vein.
Muralitharan had been quiet all game but he struck the biggest blow of all. Dravid played out to the off-spinner and snuffed out whatever chances India had of winning. His 82 off just 96 balls dictated the pace of the Indian innings.
Kaif (22 off 25 balls), Irfan Pathan (15) and Balaji (10 off 9 balls) valiantly tried to get India closer to the target and eventual victory. But it proved 13 runs too much.
India ended up with 269 for the loss of 8 wickets at the end of their allotted 50 overs.
For the Sri Lankans, Nuwan Zoysa was brilliant throughout and fully deserved the three wickets. He received good support from his team mates and in the end Sri Lanka were deserving winners.
Zaheer Khan's injury is a worrying factor for the Indians. He came out to bat with a runner and may well have injured his hamstring once again. The Indians have two days to rest before they take on Bangladesh at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
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