Sangakkara snatches win from India – Asia Cup – 4th Match

Sri Lanka 8-265 (Kumar Sangakkara 103, Kusal Perera 64, Ravindra Jadeja 3-30) beat India 9-264 (Shikhar Dhawan 94, Virat Kohli 48, Ajantha Mendis 4-60, Sachithra Senanayake 3-41) by two wickets.

One of the best batsmen in the ODI cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, blasted a ton against India and led his team to a nail biting victory at Fatullah.

The Blue Shirts scored 264 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs and the Lankan Lions hammered 265 with two wickets in hand and four balls still available.

Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his express knock of 103 from just 84 deliveries.

The Asia Cup-4th match was played on Friday, February 28, 2014, at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah.

Kumar Sangakkara - Superb matrch winning ton
Kumar Sangakkara – Superb matrch winning ton

Earlier, Angelo Mathews, the skipper of the Islanders, won the toss and put the Men in Blue to bat first who lost their first wicket at 33. The captain of India, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhwan started the consolidation process with the assistance of regular boundaries. The latter registered his sixth ODI fifty in the 23rd over and the partnership was dislodged at 130 when Kohli was gone for 48. Dhawan kept on enhancing at his end with a little partnership but was unluckily dismissed for 94 off 114 balls with 1 six and 7 fours. Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja scored 22 each as their team reached 9-264 after 50 overs.

Ajantha Mendis was the star performer with four wickets, Sachithra Senanayake got three whereas Lasith Malinga and Chaturanga de Silva chipped in with one wicket each.

Kusal Perera along with Lahiru Thirimanne got off smartly by putting on board 80 runs in 17.2 overs. The latter was dismissed for 38 and was replaced by Kumar Sangakkara while the first attained his third ODI fifty in the 21st over. They took the score to 134 when Perera surrendered his wicket for 64 and the rival bowlers penetrated through the middle order batting of the Islanders.

Sangakkara was the only difference between the two teams who stood firm at his end whereas the wickets kept on sliding at the other side. The Lankan Lions required 12 runs to clinch the game in even balls and he powered his 18th ODI century with a four. Kumar Sangakkara became the 8th victim for 103 off 84 mere balls comprising 1 six and 12 fours as Thisara Perera scored the winning run on the second ball of the final over. The Lankan Lions piled up 265 runs with two wickets still in hand after utilising 49.2 overs.

Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja were the top wicket takers with three each whereas Ravichandran Ashwin held two.

Sri Lanka triumphed in an important encounter with a narrow margin of two wickets, got 4 points and took their tally to 8.


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