Tendulkar stars in India’s seven-wicket win
Published:Monday | December 21, 2009 | 1:08 PM
Sachin Tendulkar\'s unbeaten 96 led hosts India to a seven-wicket victory today in the third limited-overs international against Sri Lanka, giving the India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Tendulkar\'s composed knock helped India score 242 for 3 in 42.4 overs after Sri Lanka were bundled out for 239 in 44.2 overs despite a century partnership for the second wicket between opener Upul Tharanga 73 and Captain Kumar Sangakkara 46.
Tendulkar struck 13 fours off 114 deliveries and was just 4 short of his 46th century in one-day internationals, when a leg glance by Dinesh Karthik 36 not out went wide of wicketkeeper Sangakkara for 4 to clinch the victory.
Stand-in skipper, Virender Sehwag 44, who dominated the 55-run opening partnership with Tendulkar, and Gautam Gambhir 32 were the other main contributions to India\'s victory chase.
Chanaka Welegedara was the most successful bowler for Sri Lanka with 2 for 35.
Earlier, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja returned career-best figures of 4 for 32, to lead India\'s fight back after their pace bowlers were hammered all over the field by the top three Sri Lankan batsmen.