HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka, (Reuters) – Seamers Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews shared six wickets as Sri Lanka came back strongly to level the five-match series at one-all with a crushing nine-wicket win over India in the second one-day cricket international yesterday.
India, who won the toss and opted to bat, were shot out for 138 off 33.3 overs with only Gautam Gambhir making a noteworthy contribution with a patient 65 off 96 balls, including four fours. Perera, with figures of three for 19, was named man of the match. Mathews took three for 14.
Sri Lanka knocked off the runs in 19.5 overs, scoring 139 for one with openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan posting a first-wicket stand of 119.
Dilshan was dismissed for 50 scored off 49 balls when he top-edged a sweep off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to hold on to a simple catch with Sri Lanka needing 20 for victory.
Tharanga was unbeaten on 59 scored off 60 balls with eight fours and Dinesh Chandimal was on six not out.
