Kohli hits fourth ton in five innings

Hambantota, July 21: World Champion India defeated Sri Lanka by 21 runs in the first ODI of the 5 match series in Hambantota on Saturday. Chasing 315-run target, The host could manage 293 for 9 in stipulated 50 overs. Kumar Sangakkara  scored his 14th ODI ton but could not save the day for his team.Sangakkara scored his century in 125 balls and finally out at 133 off 150 balls.

Tharanga and Sangakkara revived Sri Lankan innings after losing Tillakaratne Dilshan in the second over of the innings. Irfan Pathan struck in his first over to remove Dilshan and give India crucial breakthrough in the day-night one-dayer.  Tharanga played patient knock of 28 off 47 balls with the help of two fours.

Ravichandran Ashwin broke the second wicket 77-run stand between Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara by removing the former in the first ODI of the five-match series against Sri Lanka in Hambantota.

Zaheer Khan scalped Angelo Mathews to take his first wicket of the innings that increased Sri Lanka’s worry of chasing down the huge target.

Pragyan Ojha piled more misery on Sri Lankan chase as he scalped Mahela Jayawardene to reduce the island nation to 132/4 in 28.3 overs. Indian pacer Umesh Yadav struck to dismiss Dinesh Chandimal as Sri Lanka struggled against India.

Virat Kohli notched up a brisk hundred, while Virender Sehwag missed his ton by a whisker as India posted a daunting 314 for 6 against Sri Lanka.

Kohli, who scored his fourth hundred in his last five innings, was in sublime form and starred in a 173-run second wicket stand with Sehwag to lay the foundation for a big total.

The 23-year-old Kohli blasted nine boundaries in his 113-ball innings, while Sehwag, who was dropped by Tillakaratne Dilshan on nought in the second over, had 10 boundaries in his 97-ball innings. In the later part of the innings Suresh Raina played some big hits to score halfcentury in 45 balls.

India had a shaky start after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (35) won the toss and elected to bat at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

Sehwag looked rusty early on and got a respite initially but his partner Gautam Gambhir (3) was not lucky and was sent packing after being bowled while trying to work out a Kulasekara delivery square in the third over. Agencies

Brief Score: India 314/6 (Virat Kohli 106, Virender Sehwag 96, Suresh Raina 50, MS Dhoni 35, Thisara Perera 3/70)

 Sri Lanka 293/9 (Kumar Sangakara 133, Thisara Perera 44, Upul Tharanga 28, Irfan Pathan 2/37, R Ashwin 2/46, Umesh Yadav 2/76