Virat smashes Lankan hopes

August 01, 2012 13:30
Virat smashes Lankan hopes

Ace Indian batsman Virat Kohli onslaught was indomitable and the helpless Lankans were on a leather hunt. Probably the Lankan bowlers who had a dominance in the third ODI were looking helpless against his onslaught on Tuesday in the fourth encounter. India take on Sri Lanka in the fourth match of the five match series at Sri Lanka. Indians dominated the series against the home team and won the games with a 3-1 with a match remaining. Personally Virat scored his 13th ODI ton in the 4th ODI match played at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo which India won by 6 wickets.

However Tuesday encounter was a litmus test to both Lankans and the Indians as well. Though the visitors entered with a 2-1 lead in the fourth match, they had ended up playing miserably on one of their their earlier encounters which raised speculations. But in the end, a comfortable pace set in by Virender Sehwag was consolidated by Virat Kohli to seal the game in the visitors favor and inturn the series.

Earlier on to bat the Lankans went in at a comfortable pace with Dilshan (42) and Tharanga (51) enduring the Indian Seamers. But as leg-spinner Manoj Tiwary stepped in the story took a U-turn and the Lankans made a march to their dressing rooms in quick succession. Tiwary grabbed four Lankan wickets and devastated the home team. The Lankans wound up to a total of 251/8 in the stipulated fifty overs.

Indians came in with hat-trick exuberance that was dampened by an early exit by Gautam Gambhir to a typical Malinga delivery in the very first over. Sehwag who set in the required momentum was there only for a brief moment but made a breezy 34 runs with six fours. However the next few overs were very bad for the visitors. Rohit Sharma failed to fire as usual and was out for just four runs. Manoj Tiwary in the company of Virat Kohli managed to score a decent score of twenty one runs. But it was the 146-run partnership between Suresh Raina and Kohli that scripted the victory. In the process Raina scored 58 (runs with 4x4, 1x6) and Kohli claimed the Man of the Match honors with 128 runs(runs with 12x4, 1x6). And India made 255/4 in the 42.2 overs.

Indians sign of in a style at the  Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. And will the home team bounce back in the fifth and final encounter on August 04 is to be awaited. Let's catch up the heat Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy where the two teams next meet. (With inputs from internet-AW AarKay)

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