Ind vs SL: 1st ODI- So near yet so far for Lanka…India clinch a thriller…

Very rarely you see a team scoring more than 400 runs in the one day international match and yet finish losing. But this story almost happened to India….So near yet so far. India had done all their homework before coming into the 1st odi against Sri Lanka here at Madhaorao Scindia Cricket ground, Rajkot…only to feel that the Lankans were too good for them…until everything changed in the last ball. 

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field and would have cursed their stars when Indian openers Sehwag and Sachin went blazing tearing the Lankan attack. In no time the duo put on 153 runs in 19.3 overs befor Sachin was out for a well made 69 in 63 balls. In comes Dhoni and with Sehwag puts on 156 for the 2nd wicket…Sehwag completes is hundred and Dhoni his 50 in due course. Sehwag fell just short of 150 by 4 runs and was out for 146 made in just 102 balls with 17 fours and 6 sixes. Indian fans at that stage would have expected a 200 from Sehwag…in the way he was going. Dhoni departed in the next over making a quickfire 72 in 53 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. There were hiccupps in the middle as Gambhir, Raina and promoted Harbhajan could not harm the scorers with the bat. Absense of Yuvraj was clearly felt. Kohli and Jadeja made some good hits to see India past 400. India finished tall and handsome with 414 on board losing 7 wickets. One could feel that India were another 25-30 runs shorter.

Much to the relief of the Lankans their batsmen gave a better start to the proceedings. Taranga and Dilshan put on 188 runs in just 24 overs before Taranga left making a valuable 60 ball 66 with 3 fours and 4 sixes. Sangakkara joined a fiersome Dilshan and the duo put another 128 for the 2nd wicket with effortless hitting. When Sangakkara was out in the 37th over the score was already 316 and the match looked missing from the hands of Indians. Sangakkara made a 43 ball 90 with 10 fours and 5 sixes…a feast of runs…much to the disappointment for the Indian supporters. Jayawardahane and Jayasurya did not trouble the scorers and were out cheaply…but the damage was already executed.  Dilshan made a magnificiant 160 in just 124 balls and crafted a Lankan victory…as they much deserved. He hit 20 boundaries and 3 sixes in his mammoth run. No more hiccups…Kadamby and Mathews made sure that they took the score past 400 before Kadamby was run out in the pen ultimate over. Only formalities were left. One more wicket in the same over leaving Lanka to score 11 runs in their last 6 balls with 3 wickets in hand. Indian supporters would have prayed all the gods they know to help their team.When Mathew was out when the score was 410 as the 8th wicket with Lanka needing 4 runs in the last ball…there was still hope for India…and the heart would have come into the mouths of every one in both the dressing rooms and also the supporters of both the teams….Which team is lucky…will be decided in the last ball…what a thriller!!! Luck finally favoured India and India won the thriller by just 3 runs….What a fate for the Lankans!!!

What could be said about the match???……..A match which saw wonderful display with the bat and a feast of runs…bowlers failing to deliver from both sides…some good individual performances…great hits and not to forget a nail biting finish….in which India emerged victorious in the last ball…where anything would have happened. It was the toughest battles of nerves and the supporters of cricket would not have asked for more…when the results could not be judged until the last ball was bowled….Hats off CRICKET………….

Sehwag with all heroics was adjudged the man of the match…But turn the coin and you would see another hero being left out after all his gallent effort…Dilshan….

Enjoy the sweet memories of a great match…See you all soon with more news and new adventures…in the 2nd ODI….