India Beat Sri Lanka By 46 Runs In Fourth One Day

Once again Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni built on Kohli's efforts added 143 rusn in 23.3 overs for 4th wicket.

Colombo: What could have changed in the space of three matches - the first one India lost and this series winning victory at the fourth One-day match? When Dhoni's men landed in Sri Lanka after India took a beating in the Tests, the odd were squarely against them. Now, four matches on, the Indian team not only won the fourth ODI match by convincing 46 runs but also won the series with a match to spare.

Among other things, a big threat to India's dreams of a win was Factor M, something the Indians tamed successfully. Now Ajantha Mendis has ceased to be a menace, and the changes of India winning this arm-wrestle equivocally, by clinching the fifth match, are bright, to put thing mildly. For the second time on the trot, Indians showed that they have found an answer to Mendis. Three of their in form batsmen - MS Dhoni (71, 80 balls) Suresh Raina (76, 78 balls) and Viral Kohli (54, 66 balls) - scored superb fifties to enable India post a fighting 258 runs, in reply, the Sri Lankan batting once again messed it up and ran out of steam. They were skittles out for 212 in 46.3 overs.

For the host, senior pro Sanath Jayasuriya (60, 66th ODI fifty) tried to resurrect the Lankan hope by scoring briskly. Even Thilan Thushara (40, 29n balls) struck some mighty blow; but it wasn't enough in the end. With the ball Thushara also bagged a five wickets haul for the first time in his career.

For the guest, Harbhajan Singh spun his web to trap 3 wickets and was well supported by Munaf Patel (2 for 480, part time bowler Vice Captain Yuvraj Singh (2 for 53) and Zaheer Khan, take only one wicket but bowled a nagging line.

Brief Score: India 258 (Raina 76, Dhoni 71, Kohli 54, Thushara 5-47) beat Sri Lanka 212 (Jayasuriya 60, Harbhajan 3-40) by 46 runs

Highlights of the Match

• With the wicket of Yuvraj Singh, Chaminda Vaas became the fourth bowler to take 400 ODI wickets, the second Sri Lankan after Muttiah Muralitharan.
  Vaas is one of only four players to complete the double of 2000 runs and 300 wickets in ODIs. The others are Wasim Akram, Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Pollock.
• His 8 for 19 against Zimbabwe in Colombo in December 2001 remains the best bowling figures in an ODI.
• Vaas' 23 wickets in the 2003 World Cup is the second-best haul in a single edition of the tournament; Glenn McGrath bettered it in 2007.
• He is one of three bowlers to have taken two hat-tricks in ODIs, Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq being the other two.
• Vaas has been consistent both home and away: he has taken 81 wickets at home at an average of 27.51, 151 away at 28.04 and 168 on neutral venues at 27.08.
• India win series in Sri lanka after 1985.