03 February,2009 06:48 PM IST | | Agencies
Brilliantu00a0centuries from Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag took India to a massive score of 363 for 5 wickets against Sri Lanka in the third ODI at the Premadasa Stadium.
Yuvraj and Sehwag put the hapless Sri Lankan bowlers to the sword after the hosts had some early success. Both scored centuries and put on 221 runs for the third wicket after India would count themselves unlucky to have lost two early wickets.
Yuvraj Singh was the more aggressive of the two although he took his time getting in. Yuvraj stroked 17 fours and a six in his 11th ODI century, eventually holing out to Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling. Yuvraj's wicket brought Murali on par with Wasim Akram's world record tally ofu00a0 503 wickets in ODIs. Yuvraj scored 117 from 95 balls.
Virender Sehwag, who got lesser strike than his left-handed colleague, faced just 75 balls to notch up his 10th ODI ton. Sehwag was brutal on all Sri Lankan bowlers. Nuwan Kulasekara and Fraveez Maharoof were treated the worst by the Delhi dasher. Sehwag was also run out for 116 from just 90 balls. Sehwag hit 17 fours in his ton.
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After the fall of both the centurions, India lost Suresh Raina, trying to come down the pitch to Ajantha Mendis, stumped for 9 runs. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan then came together to put on 85 unbeaten runs for the sixth wicket, to take India to the massive score. Pathan was unbeaten on 59 off just 38 balls at the end. He hit 4 fours and 3 massive sixes, while Dhoni kept company, scoring an unbeaten 35. Dhoni played second fiddle in the partnership, giving his partner most of the strike.
Sri Lanka needs to score 364, a record second innings score on the island, to stay in the series. Earlier, looking to wrap up the series against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Indian captain MS Dhoni had no hesitation in electing to bat after he won the toss. Soon after, Sachin Tendulkar was out LBW to the bowling of Dilhara Fernando for 7 runs off 12 balls. Again, the decision seemed marginal with a ball going down the leg side. Gautam Gambhir too was unfortunate as he was run out off a straight drive by Virender Sehwag, at the score of 10.
India is fielding an unchanged team from the one that won the previous match, also at Colombo.
