it's over, India have won, this is the highest successful chase at this stadium, Irfan launches a length ball to deep midwicket for four, he takes off helmet and jumps for joy
Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd ODI at Colombo, Jul 28 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
3rd ODI (D/N), Colombo (RPS), July 28, 2012, India tour of Sri Lanka
New
IND
Full commentary
India up 2-1 in the five-match series. Gambhir looked in terrific touch today, Kohli less so and Dhoni wasn't at his best either but the two of them put on important stands with Gambhir, when India looked on course for victory. But, as he has so many times, Malinga produced some magic deliveries to send back MSD and Rohit, and put Sri Lanka in charge. A direct hit then dismissed Gambir, and India looked headed for defeat. They had some bits of luck though, with a few edged boundaries providing the early momentum for Raina and Irfan - Raina was dropped once as well, and a run-out chance was missed - before the two batsmen took charge. Raina had been piling on the runs at the end of the innings in recent ODIs, but usually when India were looking to set a target. This time, he was around to shepherd the chase, taking India home with an unbeaten 65 off 45. Irfan is in the team as a bowling allrounder, and has proved effective so far in the series, making a crucial unbeaten 34.
At long last, the presentation ceremony
.
Suresh Raina is the Man of the Match. "I learnt over the years, how to bat when you need 8 an over, Gautam played very well early on, set the platform. I looked to play straight, not to play cross, I knew I could hit over cover, over midwicket, I also wanted to run hard. Credit goes to Gautam, he batted very well."
Mahela Jayawardene: "It was one of those days. They are a quality team, I thought we played a good game, just a few mistakes. Up front, we were not putting enough pressure in the chase. We bowled poorly (towards the end) and dropped Suresh as well. It's tough when you lose, but you try and re-focus for the next game. Sanga will get a good deserved break (smiles)."
Dhoni: "We had a chance, because Gautam was still batting, and we all had belief in Raina, we also had Irfan and Ashwin. I think those two wickets changed the game, Gautam did really well, we needed one of the top three to put in a performance like this. We need to improve our death bowling, and our fielding, but overall I was happy with our performance."
S Rajesh, our stats editor, has done a match report after several years. See how he fared here.
Thanks for all the mails today, and you all need to go a little easy on Rohit. See you in the fourth ODI.
49.4
4
Angelo Mathews to Pathan, FOUR runs
49.3
•
Angelo Mathews to Pathan, no run
after several overs of calm batting, Irfan jumps down the track and looks to slog a short of length ball over the leg side, he misses, the crowd loves it and roars its appreciation, it's 3 off 3 now, Raina walks up and has a chat with Irfan
49.2
1
Angelo Mathews to Raina, 1 run
looks to hammer it through the off side, ends up sends it straight down the track, Mathews tries to field that one, but can't as it was too low for him and hit too hard, one run taken
49.1
2
Angelo Mathews to Raina, 2 runs
short of length ball is swatted towards deep midwicket, Raina gets two for his efforts
Mathews to bowl the final over. He hits sixes when needed in the final over, can he stop giving away six now?
end of over 496 runs
IND: 281/5CRR: 5.73 • RRR: 6.00
Irfan Pathan30 (29b 2x4)
Suresh Raina62 (43b 6x4 1x6)
Lasith Malinga 10-0-60-2
Thisara Perera 9-0-57-1
48.6
•
Malinga to Pathan, no run
full ball is driven towards the bowler, Malinga fields and it is a dot ball, India need six off the final over
Malinga's last ball coming up
48.5
2
Malinga to Pathan, 2 runs
Malinga keeps it full, Irfan jabs it towards point, a diving from the fielder then takes the pace off the ball but can't stop it, Irfan races back for the second
48.4
2
Malinga to Pathan, 2 runs
a full toss from Malinga, crunched down the ground, long-off does the fielding but can't prevent the second
48.3
•
Malinga to Pathan, no run
full and outside off, crisply hit by Irfan, just needed to be placed better, can't beat Dilshan at backward point
48.2
1
Malinga to Raina, 1 run
another yorker, on off stump, raina manages to squeeze that out towards short cover, there's a direct hit this time, but Irfan has just made his ground, to make things worse for Sri Lanka, India sneak an overthrow as well
48.1
1
Malinga to Pathan, 1 run
a yorker just outside off, Irfan has sensibly been taking the singles and turning over the strike to Raina in the past few overs, he does it again
end of over 489 runs
IND: 275/5CRR: 5.72 • RRR: 6.00
Suresh Raina61 (42b 6x4 1x6)
Irfan Pathan25 (24b 2x4)
Thisara Perera 9-0-57-1
Lasith Malinga 9-0-54-2
47.6
2
Perera to Raina, 2 runs
another lofted hit from Raina, towards deep extra cover,Udana has to get across from long-off to cut it off, two more to India
47.5
2
Perera to Raina, 2 runs
Raina launches that full ball towards sweeper cover, Tharanga moves across to field that one, Raina wanted three but settles for two
47.4
1
Perera to Pathan, 1 run
short of length ball on the leg stump, swatted towards deep square leg
47.3
1
Perera to Raina, 1 run
Raina wanted to thump that through the off side as well, but edges it towards mid-on for a single
47.2
2
Perera to Raina, 2 runs
attempted slower ball loops towards Raina as a full toss, Raina backs away and sends that through the off side for a couple
47.1
1
Perera to Pathan, 1 run
helps this to short fine leg for a single
In the midst of all the Rohit v Tiwary talk, Raina's recent ODI form has gone un-noticed. Three half-centuries in five innings, and regularly providing India the momentum at the end of the innings in the recent past
end of over 4710 runs
IND: 266/5CRR: 5.65 • RRR: 7.00
Irfan Pathan23 (22b 2x4)
Suresh Raina54 (38b 6x4 1x6)
Lasith Malinga 9-0-54-2
Angelo Mathews 8-0-42-0
Praveen: "c'mon guys give rohit a break! Literally or figuratively?;)" Hah!
46.6
1
Malinga to Pathan, 1 run
full and outside off, guided towards deep point for one more
46.5
1
Malinga to Raina, 1 run
full and wide, Raina squeezes it towards deep backward point for a single
46.4
1
Malinga to Pathan, 1 run
guides it wide of extra cover for a single
46.3
1
Malinga to Raina, 1 run
Sri Lanka needed a direct hit there, Raina punched the ball towards Mathews at mid-off and sets off for the run, a direct hit would have ended Raina's stay, Mathews misses and is disgusted with himself
46.2
•
Malinga to Raina, no run
yorker well outside off, Raina wanted to guide that past the keeper for four more, but doesn't connect
46.1
6
Malinga to Raina, SIX runs
turning out to be Raina magic here, bludgeons this first ball of the over long-on for six, brings up his half-century as well, what a shot to bring it up with
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