PALLEKELE, Aug 4 (PTI): Irfan Pathan claimed five wickets and contributed valuable 29 runs as India managed a 20-run win over Sri Lanka in the dead fifth rubber to complete a 4-1 series drubbing, here today.
India posted a challenging 294 for seven after electing to bat and completed the win by bowling out the hosts for 274 in 45.4 overs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
India had lost the second ODI in Hambantota by nine wickets but were dominant in all the other matches.
Opener Gautam Gambhir (88), Manoj Tiwary (65) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (58) scored half-centuries while Rohit Sharma (4) failed yet again today.
Dhoni along with Pathan (29 off 28) plundered 77 runs in just 9.5 overs before falling to Lasith Malinga in the penultimate over of India innings.
Later, the pace trio of Pathan (5/60), Ashok Dinda (2/55) and Zaheer Khan (1/53) ripped apart the Sri Lankan top-order, tilting the scale in favour of India.
Courtesy this win, India have now claimed the second spot in the ODI rankings behind Australia after starting the series in the fourth position. Both India and Australia now have 119 rating points, followed by South Africa (118).
Lahiru Thirimanne, who came to bat at number three after the fall of opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (0), was the top scorer for the hosts with his fighting 81-run knock.
Run-rate was never a problem with Sri Lanka but they struggled to keep wickets in hand as half of the batting line- up was resting in pavilion within 16 overs.
Thirimanne and Jeevan Mendis (72) did stage a fightback for their side with a gritty 102-run partnership for the sixth wicket in 20.4 overs.
Thirimanne�s excellent innings met with a tragic end when he was run out in the 36th over. Mendis kept fighting and brought his team closer to the target but once Pathan dismissed him and Thisara Perera (18) in the 43rd over, an Indian win looked very much on the cards.
It was Pathan who dealt the first two blows by removing Dilshan and Upul Tharanga (31). Before being caught by Ajinkya Rahane, Tharanga batted superbly in the company of Thirimanne as the duo put on 45 runs for the second wicket.
In a span of 30 balls, Sri Lanka lost Dinesh Chandimal (8), skipper Angelo Mathews (13) and Chamara Kapugedara (9) to be reeling at 102 for five.
Earlier, Dhoni smashed a 38-ball 58 after Gambhir and Tiwary put India on course with a 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
SCORECARD
India: Gambhir c Malinga b Senanayake 88, Rahane lbw b Perera 9, Kohli lbw b Pradeep 23, RG Sharma b Pradeep 4, MK Tiwary c Perera b Malinga 65, SK Raina c Thirimanne b Malinga 0, MS Dhoni c Chandimal b Malinga 58, IK Pathan not out 29, R Ashwin not out 2. Extras: (lb 10, w 6) 16. Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) 294. Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-77, 3-87, 4-197, 5-197, 6-213, 7-290. Bowling: SL Malinga 10-0-64-3, NLTC Perera 10-0-53-1, AD Mathews 5-0-29-0, N Pradeep 10-0-63-2, SMSM Senanayake 10-0-50-1, BMAJ Mendis 5-0-25-0.
Sri Lanka: U Tharanga c Rahane b Pathan 31, T Dilshan c Khan b Pathan 0, H Thirimanne run out 77, L Chandimal lbw b Dinda 8, A Mathews run out 13, C Kapugedera lbw b Khan 9, B Mendis c Dhoni b Pathan 72, N Perera c Kohli b Pathan 18,- S Senanayake b Pathan 7, S Malinga c Raina b Dinda 10, N Pradeep not out 0. Extras: (b 2, lb 14, w 13) 29. Total (all out; 45.4 overs) 274. Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-61, 3-74, 4-89, 5-102, 6-204, 7-252, 8-256, 9-266, 10-274. Bowling: Z Khan 9-1-53-1, I Pathan 10-0-61-5, A Dinda 7.4-0-55-2, V Kohli 1-0-3-0, R Ashwin 9-0-37-0, R Sharma 6-0-23-0, S Raina 2-0-12-0, M Tiwary 1-0-14-0.
