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Sri Lanka break duck on India tour
Debutant Ashok Dinda started off with a wicket in his first over in international cricket, dismissing the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya for 26, in the first Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka in Nagpur on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Bengal medium pacer struck off his second delivery, as Jayasuriya holed out to Ishant Sharma at third man, after having added 43 runs for the opening wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Captain Kumar Sangakkara's quickfire half-century guided Sri Lanka to a comfortable 29-run victory.
Sangakkara blasts Sri Lanka to victory
Kumar Sangakkara attacked the Indian bowlers from the start of his innings. He welcomed Pragyan Ojha to the crease with two successive boundaries and a huge straight six off the first three deliveries, in the ninth over.
He helped himself to another couple of boundaries in the next over from Yusuf Pathan when he flicked him twice through midwicket as Sri Lanka posted 89 for no loss at the halfway stage.
Sangakkara completed his half-century in style, off just 21 deliveries, dancing down the wicket and lofting Rohit straight over the bowler for his second six.
Sri Lanka post record total
Sangakkara smashed 78 from 37 deliveries, hitting 11 boundaries and two sixes, to guide Sri Lanka to a record 215 for five in 20 overs, their highest total in Twenty20 Internationals.
Chamara Kapugedera also took full toll on the Indian bowlers as he made a quick 47 from 20 deliveries, with seven boundaries and a six, before he was bowled by Ashish Nehra.
The two batsmen shred the Indian bowling attack to pieces as they put on 69 runs in a mere 5.3 overs for the fourth wicket.
Gambhir gives India a flying start
Gautam Gambhir provided India a flying start as he smashed 55 from 26 deliveries, inclusive of 11 boundaries, but the rest of the batsmen failed to live up to expectations.
The left-hander brought up his half-century with a double through the off-side off a mere 19 deliveries, having hit as many as 11 boundaries, to take India to 88 for one after seven overs.
Batsmen fail as India go down
The Indian middle order came unstuck on a good batting wicket as they lost six wickets in the space of five overs for the addition of 36 runs. India were dismissed for 186 for nine in their 20 overs.
This was Sri Lanka's first victory on the Indian tour following the 0-2 loss in the three-Test series, while India's poor run in the shortest format of the game continued. They have now lost four matches in a row.
The 40-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya showed he is still a force to reckon with in the limited overs format as he took two for 19 in four overs to follow-up on his 20-ball 26.
There was a huge gulf in the fielding standard of the two teams, with India dropping as many as four catches, and Sri Lanka taking some difficult ones.