Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
48 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 265/10 (68 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.52, RRR: 34.00)

  • Nuwan Kulasekara39 (22b)
  • Praveen Kumar9-0-38-2
  • Ishant Sharma5-0-39-0

India have won convincingly here. Sri Lanka started off well in the run chase and even when Sangakkara and Jayawardene were batting in the initial few overs, it seemed as though their team was still in the hunt. However, there was an unexpected interruption, and what followed was a fairly dull affair. Both the batsmen struggled to force the pace after the break, struggled against Ojha and Sehwag - Sri Lanka failed to score a boundary in 21 overs - and there was an air of inevitability surrounding their eventual downfall. Irfan Pathan had a satisfactory comeback, taking three wickets, albeit proving a little costly. Kulasekara provided some mild entertainment towards the end, but Sri Lanka never looked like they were going to win during their sudden change of gears in the middle passage.

Their only highlight of the day was Murali's record, but the fact that it has taken him four matches to take the three wickets he needed at the start of the series to overtake Wasim Akram is an indication of how well India's batsmen have handled him. India have now won nine consecutive games - their best winning streak in ODIs - and Sri Lanka have one more match to salvage something out of what's been a distressing series.

Murali is being felicitated at the presentation ceremony for his record. Well, not really, but there are some fireworks in the background.

Mahela: "330 was always going to be a tough target, and we failed to strike the right balance in the middle overs. Unfortunately we didn;t get to bowl under lights, and our spinners would have had some purchase then, but India's spinners bowled really well."

Dhoni: "I'm happy about the ninth win, and we are enjoying our success. I haven't batted at 3 in a long time, and was looking to do that today as the series had already been decided."

Gautam Gambhir is the Man of the Match.

Gambhir: "This was the perfect platform for me to perform well and play a long innings. There was an element of pressure, but there always is when you are playing for India. Credit to my captain and coach, they've supported me very well throughout my success in 2008 and hopefully 2009 will yield similar results."

Well, thats it from all of us at Cricinfo. Do join us for the live coverage of the fifth ODI on the 8th. Thanks for all your feedback and we'll see you in a couple of days. Until then, it's adios from Siddhartha Talya on the commentary and Sanjay Murari from the scoring desk.

47.6
W
Kumar to Fernando, OUT, that's it, its all over! Slightly short of a length on the off stump, Dilhara makes to slog that into the stands, misses it completely and the stumps take a beating!

CRD Fernando b Kumar 9 (21m 14b 1x4 0x6) SR: 64.28

47.5
0
Kumar to Fernando, no run, good length just fractionally down leg stump, Dilhara makes room to heave it into the leg side, misses
47.4
0
Kumar to Fernando, no run, full on middle, driven straight to midwicket
47.3
1
Kumar to Kulasekara, 1 run, short of a length outside off, punched off the back foot to deep cover
47.2
0
Kumar to Kulasekara, no run, slower ball that he failed to pick, landed short of a length outside off and cut away, tried to slog that over midwicket, but was into the shot too early
47.1
4
Kumar to Kulasekara, FOUR, full on middle and leg, heaved over midwicket for a boundary. This is now Kulasekara's highest ODI score

Shamil: "The only hope for SL is for some honesty at the press conference. If Mahela says something like the following I'll be cheered up "We were rubbish. I thought it was just problems with the batting, but now even the bowling is not that good. To be the first captain to face a 5-0 whitewash, that too at home will be the lowest point in my career. We have talent but we're just rubbish at applying it. Let's hope this is rock bottom and the only way is up." "

Praveen Kumar into the attack now

END OF OVER:
47 | 10 Runs | SL: 260/9 (73 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.53, RRR: 24.33)

  • Dilhara Fernando9 (11b)
  • Nuwan Kulasekara34 (19b)
  • Ishant Sharma5-0-39-0
  • Yuvraj Singh5-0-37-1
46.6
2
I Sharma to Fernando, 2 runs, short of a length outside off, cut away wide of point for a well run two
46.5
4
I Sharma to Fernando, FOUR, full on the pads, tries to drive that to midwicket, gets a thick inside edge and the ball rolls down the fine-leg boundary
46.4
1
I Sharma to Kulasekara, 1 run, short on middle, dropped onto the off side off the back foot for a single
46.3
2
I Sharma to Kulasekara, 2 runs, fielded superbly at third man, made room to cart that over the covers, gets a thick outside edge that falls just short of substitute Ravindra Jadeja who divesto his left to prevent a certain four
46.2
1
I Sharma to Fernando, 1 run, yorker on middle and leg, dug out on the off side, they scamper for a single, though Raina scores a direct hit at the strikers end
46.1
0
I Sharma to Fernando, no run, good length on middle and off, pushed to mid-on

END OF OVER:
46 | 18 Runs | SL: 250/9 (83 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.43, RRR: 20.75)

  • Nuwan Kulasekara31 (17b)
  • Dilhara Fernando2 (7b)
  • Yuvraj Singh5-0-37-1
  • Irfan Pathan7-0-58-3
45.6
2
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, 2 runs, tossed up on middle and leg, flicks it away in front of square for a couple
45.5
0
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, no run, on middle and off, defended watchfully on the off side
45.4
6
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, SIX, superb shot, he wasn't to the pitch there but went for it anyway, good length outside off, he stays rooted to his crease and lofts it cleanly over the long-off for boundary. Beautifully timed
45.3
4
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, FOUR, short and wide, this time he rocks on the back foot and cuts it away fiercely wide of point for a boundary
45.2
0
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, no run, turned away sharply, landed on a good length outside off, beat Kulasekara who came forward to defend
45.1
6
Yuvraj Singh to Kulasekara, SIX, Kulasekara is providing some much needed entertainment here, flighted on middle and off, he charges down the track and lofts it over long-off for a big one

India tour of Sri Lanka 2008-09 News

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st55ST JayasuriyaTM Dilshan
2nd24TM DilshanKC Sangakkara
3rd61DPMD JayawardeneKC Sangakkara
4th23SHT KandambyKC Sangakkara
5th11KC SangakkaraCK Kapugedera
6th9AD MathewsCK Kapugedera
7th24MF MaharoofCK Kapugedera
8th13MF MaharoofKMDN Kulasekara
9th0M MuralidaranKMDN Kulasekara
10th45CRD FernandoKMDN Kulasekara