Sri Lanka came near yet failed to reach their target by 21 runs as India won the first ODI ended at Sooriyawewa a short while ago today (21).
Chasing 315 for victory Sri Lanka were restricted to 293-9 by the Indians despite a heroic 133 by Kumar Sangakkara.
Sangakkara faced 151 balls during his knock and hit 12 boundaries while others failed to assist him in a high-scoring battle which could have gone either way not for the batting flop by the home team.
Dependable all-rounder Thissara Perera hit a cameo 44 off 28 balls with three fours and a six while down the order Lasith Malinga made an unbeaten 10-ball 19 with a four and a couple of sixes.
Fast bowler Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav picked two scalps each.
India posted 314-6 after opting to bat first with Virat Kohli hitting an entertaining century and Virender Sehwag (96) missing out a well deserved ton.
Suresh Raina clobbered 50 off 45 balls with three fours and a six.
After the early dismissal of Gautam Gambhir (3) when India just reached 7 runs on the board, but Sehwag and Kohli turned their fortunes around with a 173-run partnership for the second wicket.
Sehwag was dismissed for 96 which came off 97 balls inclusive of ten boundaries.
Kohli who continued his brilliant form hit 106 off 113 deliveries with nine boundaries.
Fast bowler Thissara Perera took 3 for 70 while Nuwan Kulasekara and Angelo Mathews claimed a wicket each.
MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat as Irfan Pathan returned to the Indian side as an all-roudner while Rangana Herath took Jeevan Mendis’ place in the Sri Lankan camp.
India 314 for 6 wickets (50) (Virender Sehwag 96, Virat Kohli 106, Suresh Raina 50, MS Dhoni 35, Thissara Perera 3/70)
Sri Lanka 293 for 9 wickets (50) (Upul Tharanga 28, Kumar Sangakkara 133, Thissara Perera 44, Lasith Malinga 19n.o., Irfan Pathan 2/37, Ravichandran Ashwin 2/46, Umesh Yadav 2/76)
