ODI 3 : India Invincible?

Sreelata YellamrazuFeb 4 2009

At least that was the impression team India were trying to give as they trashed Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the third one day international.

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It was incredulous to watch how the Sri Lankan bowling and their fielding in particular, a discipline they pride themselves on, fell apart as Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh converted a potentially precarious situation into one of supreme advantage.

At twenty-four for two, it could have gone either way. But instead the 221 run partnership between the duo ensured India were always racing ahead of the norm and well in the region of 350. Yuvraj Singh brought up his eleventh one day international century while Sehwag his tenth, but it was obvious that these two were playing as if just starting out hungry in international cricket. It was a tremendous display of batting as Yuvraj Singh was rambunctious and Sehwag never far behind, which would have been the other way around on a different occasion. But there have not been too many situations where these two had an opportunity to change a situation together and this was a mighty colossal effort. Combined with Yousuf Pathan’s blitzkrieg at the end of the innings, India were starting favourites after making 363.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, were coming apart from the seams. Fervez Maharoof could not capture his magic from before and Dilhara Fernando had a mixed coming and going of sorts after replacing Thilan Thushara. While Muthiah Muralitharan equaled Wasim Akram for the most number of wickets, there was little celebration for the spinners either as Ajantha Mendis has been unraveled and Muralitharan not being given opportunities to break into the Indian line up. The fact that only Sanath Jayasuriya went for less than sixty runs is an indicator of how the bowlers have struggled.

In contrast, Sri Lanka’s strength that previously lay in their batsmen is now dependent on Sanath Jayasuriya getting a good start because Mahela Jayawardene has been unable to make his efforts count. Kumar Sangakkara showed semblance of resilience but it was never going to be enough in front of India’s majestic designs.

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