India beat Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens to clinch series
on December 25th, 2009

India defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the fourth one-day international (ODI) at the Eden Gardens here Thursday to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five match-series.

Young Virat Kohli exploded into maturity and Gautam Gambhir fired in India’s crisis as both cracked tons to propel the hosts to a series-clinching 3-1 lead in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens here Thursday.

The 21-year-old Kohli (107) struck his maiden ODI hundred and added 224 runs for the third wicket with Gambhir (150 not out; 14 fours, 137 balls), who returned to form after a six-game lean show, to rescue India after the early departure of big guns Virender Sehwag (10) and Sachin Tendulkar (8).

Replying to an imposing Sri Lankan total of 315 for six at a challenging asking rate of 6.32 per over, India seemed in a spot of bother at 23 for two but the exploits of the duo enabled the side to coast to a seven-wicket victory with 11 balls and seven wickets to spare.

This was the first ever instance of a team successfully chasing a 300-plus total at the sprawling Eden.

The Indians’ superlative batting effort eclipsed a well-made 118 by Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga and his 126-run second wicket stand with skipper Kumar Sangakkara.

The promising Kohli, who returned to the Indian team after sitting out in Cuttack, pushed Gambhir to a second fiddle role time and again during the match-winning partnership as he reached his 100 of 110 balls.

The youngster’s only blemish came on 88 when he edged Tillakaratne Dilshan behind the stumps but Kumar Sangakkara failed to hold on to the offering.

A highlight of Kohli’s innings, studded with 11 fours and a six, was the four boundaries he hit in one over of Lasith Malinga that eased the situation for India.

Kohli, who got to his three-figure knock with a single, finally departed to a catch by substitute M. Pushpakumara at long on while trying to loft Suraj Randiv out of the ground.

Gambhir, who had not scored a fifty in his last six innings, got his seventh ODI hundred of 101 balls.

In fact, while Kohli reached his hundred in the fourth delivery of the 38th over, Gambhir followed his young partner to the same landmark a ball later.

At the end, Dinesh Kaarthik remained unbeaten on 19.

Earlier, Suranga Lakmal bowled a great first spell to pick up Sehwag and Tendular in his first two overs.

In the afternoon, Tharanga and Sangakkara capitalised on lapses by butter-fingered Indian fielders to lay a solid foundation for a slog-over assault by the middle order. Ninety eight runs came in the last 10 overs.

Tharanga’s innings, a delightful medley of caution and aggression, saw him complete his seventh ODI hundred in his 86th match, and was embellished with 14 fours and two sixes during a 128-ball stay in the middle.

The Sri Lankans, who fielded a revamped side in the crucial day-night match bringing in four replacements – the veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, debutant Thissara Perera, Lakmal and Thilan Samaraweera, set India an asking rate of 6.32 runs per over.

Debutant Thissara (31 runs off 14 balls; 4×4, 1×6) played a cameo in the end as Sri Lanka posted the highest total at the Eden Gardens, erasing their own mark of 309 scored against Pakistan in 1997.

Tharanga survived a caught behind appeal early off Nehra and later benefited from a missed caught and bowled effort by the lanky pacer while on 7, before opening up with some deftly executed strokes.

Dilshan (9) was the first to depart as he tried to pull a short delivery from Nehra and Kohli, replacing the injured Yuvraj Singh in the playing eleven, ran from the backward square to take a diving catch.

Tharanga,24, was particularly savage on a lacklustre Ishant Sharma in the latter’s first over, picking up as many as 20 runs — all with boundaries.

It was a delightful exhibition of well-timed cuts and cover drives besides an edge giving the visitors their most productive over.

The veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (15), returning to the side after having to sit out two games, also started on an aggressive note with two fours off Nehra to get off the mark, but his innings lasted only 15 balls.

Sangakkara, who got a ‘life’ even before opening his account when Harbhajan Singh misjudged a skier at thirdman off Sharma, finally returned after a 72-ball essay that included five hits to the fence.