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India beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets
Dambulla, Sri Lanka, Aug 20: Zaheer Khan took apart the Sri Lankan top order with a four-wicket haul and Praveen Kumar picked up three of his own as India bowled out the hosts for 142 runs in the second one-dayer in Dambulla, reports Sportinglife.com.
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Left-arm paceman Zaheer snapped up the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara (two) in his first over and then added those of Mahela Jayawardene (two), Chamara Kapugedera (nought) and Sanath Jayasuriya (13) to his tally as the Sri Lankans caved in.
Thilan Thushara gave the target a touch of respectability with 44 from 46 deliveries, building a 74-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Nuwan Kulasekara (25).
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni woke up today to more injury problems as opening batsman Gautam Gambhir was ruled out with a stiff neck.
With Virender Sehwag returning home yesterday due to an ankle injury and Sachin Tendulkar ruled out before the start of the series after hurting his elbow, Gambhir's loss left Dhoni with a much weakened batting line-up.
Dhoni won his second toss in a row and chose to field first, admitting it was a decision forced on him given his inexperienced top order.
Medium-pacer Praveen Kumar was brought in in place of spinner Pragyan Ojha and he immediately piled pressure on the Sri Lankans with an accurate first over.
Zaheer, taking the new ball with Praveen, then bowled Sangakkara with a delivery that cut back and struck the top of off stump, beating a sluggish swish from Sangakkara's bat.
Zaheer struck twice in his next over, dismissing Jayawardene and Kapugedera, the two batsmen who had led Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory in the first ODI.
Jayawardene departed quickly, edging an angled delivery from Zaheer for Yuvraj Singh, stationed in the unfamiliar position of first slip, to hold after a spot of juggling.
Zaheer then induced a faint edge from Kapugedera which Dhoni held firmly, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 10 for three.
Praveen Kumar picked up the wicket of Chamara Silva as wickets continued to fall and Zaheer returned to dismiss Jayasuriya, although replays suggested the bowler was lucky with his lbw appeal.
Irfan Pathan picked up the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan (16) in his first over and Praveen came back in his second spell to claim the wickets of Thushara and Kulasekara as the Sri Lankans were bowled out in 38.3 overs.
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