 against India at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.</p> "Pin It")
Mahela Jayawardene (L) and Kumar Sangakkara added 121 runs for the fourth wicket © AFP
By CricketCountry Staff
Colombo: Jul 28, 202
A 121-run partnership between Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene and late slogging by Angelo Mathews along with Jeevan Mendis propelled Sri Lanka to 286 in the third One-Day International (ODI) against India at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
After winning the toss, the hosts failed to make an impressive start as the explosive batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed early. He was bowled after scoring only four runs off the bowling of Zaheer Khan in the third over.
Zaheer followed the wicket by removing the other opener Upul Tharanga, who struggled to connect to the bowl in his innings. Tharanga failed to replicate his performance from the previous match where he scored an unbeaten 59 runs to guide the hosts to a comfortable nine-wicket win.
Irfan Pathan too tasted success early in his first spell as he trapped Dinesh Chandimal for a duck in the sixth over.
But the experienced duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene began resurrection of Sri Lankan innings.
Despite the early success, the Indian team failed to dislodge either of the batsmen as the duo continued to grind the Indian bowlers for the fourth wicket. They reached their 14th hundred-run partnership in ODIs on Saturday.
Leg-spinner Rahul Sharma, who has been in the midst of controversies off-field, gave the prized wicket of Jayawardene to India as he removed the batsman for 65 runs.
The Sri Lankan captain, who looked set for a big score was trapped leg-before wicket to a straight delivery by the lanky spinner.
Sangakkara though continued to build another partnership, this time with the all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
The southpaw, however, was dismissed by pacer Ashok Dinda in the 38th over after scoring 73 runs.
Sri Lanka, however, maintained their momentum as Mathews, then along with all-rounder Jeevan Mendis - who replaced Lahiru Thirimanne - added 104 runs for the sixth wicket.
With Mendis hitting a six off the last ball of the 50th over, which yielded sixteen runs off the bowling of Dinda, Sri Lanka set a huge target of 286 runs for the visitors.
Brief Score: Sri Lanka 286 for 5 in 50 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 73, Angelo Mathews 71*, Mahela Jayawardene 65, Jeevan Mendis 45*; Zaheer Khan 2 for 39) vs India
