Disciplined India run through Sri Lanka batting

25 oversSri Lanka 119 for 6 (Sangakkara 56*, Zaheer 2-21) v India
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How they were out



It was the Indian fielding which came to the aid of their fast bowlers when they were being pummelled by Tillakaratne Dilshan. It wasn't anything spectacular: they just converted every opportunity the bowlers created - a big improvement on their recent fielding form - and just like that India had reined in a murderous start from Dilshan and sent back six Sri Lankan batsmen for below 100 at one stage. Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers, creating two of those opportunities in a spell that at one point read 6-2-11-2.

The first 11 overs were full of frenetic action: two wicket-maidens, on three occasions wickets fell in the first over of new spells, and in between there was scintillating batting from Dilshan, which ensured 40 of the first 42 runs came in boundaries. Dilshan perhaps, didn't want to test the injured groin that kept him away from the two previous games. Instead he just drove, cut, pulled and late cut eight boundaries in 17 deliveries to deflate any confidence that India and Sudeep Tyagi would have gained from sending back Upul Tharanga in the first over.

In the fifth over of the innings, Dilshan hammered Tyagi for his fifth, sixth and seventh boundaries, and then took a single - his first out of a score of 29, and Sri Lanka's second out of 38. Kumar Sangakkara, too, had smacked two boundaries by then, and India were in a familiar situaiton of not knowing where to bowl to the aggressive batsmen.

On came Zaheer, who was pulled for a four off his second ball, which was to be Dilshan's last. The next ball took a thick edge and looked to be dying on Gautam Gambhir at fine gully, but was snared. Zaheer was pumped, and then he proceeded to bowl to a plan that worked just fine for him: nothing to drive, short cover in place and playing on the batsmen's patience with the nagging accuracy. Mahela gave in, driving a ball he should not have, and Virat Kohli hung on to a sharp catch at short cover.

Back came Sreesanth, whose first two overs had gone for 16, and Thilan Samaraweera walked across to a straight delivery and missed. Forty-two for 1 in 5.2 overs became 61 for 4 in 10.2 overs. Soon Thilina Kandamby was run out, for the fifth time in his career. However, this time he was sold a dummy by his captain, and was done in a by a smart throw from Dinesh Karthik and snappy backing-up by Zaheer.

Thissara Perera, who had hurt India twice before this, appeared uncomfortable from the start. He got the bouncers and the verbals from Zaheer as defence didn't seem to be working. Amit Mishra had kept things tight, starting off with a maiden, and when Perera went for broke in his next over, Yuvraj Singh pulled out a special catch diving at wide long-on.

Six down in the 19th over, Sri Lanka, who chose to bat first in order to give their bowlers an experience of wet conditions under lights, were threatening to end the match even before dew would set in. Sangakkara had reached 32 off 42 by then, and took charge, taking the odd risk and not going into a shell altogether.

The immediate response to Perera's wicket was stepping out and hitting Sreesanth for four, and he then started placing the balls and making the most of every loose delivery that came for the spinners. By the 25-over mark, he had crossed his fifty, and had added 35 along with Suraj Randiv.