By IANS
Canberra : Yet another rain delay further curtailed the India-Sri Lanka match of the Commonwealth Bank triangular One-Day Series here Tuesday, with Sri Lanka being set a revised target of 154 from 21 overs in reply to India’s 195 in 29 overs.
In India’s innings, 20-year-old Rohit Sharma scored his second half-century and went on to post 70 off 65 balls (6x4s, 1×6) to steady the boat after India had lost Virender Sehwag (14, 18 balls, 2x4s) and Sachin Tendulkar (32, 30 balls, 4x4s) with 49 on the board.
Gautam Gambhir (35, 33 balls, 3x4s) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni 31 (26 balls, 3x4s) chipped in with useful scores after India were asked to bat by Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene.
After three matches in the series, India are atop the league table with eight points. Australia have seven from as many matches. Sri Lanka have two from two matches and will be looking for full four points from this truncated match at the Manuka Oval.
Tendulkar and Sehwag looked good initially. After the first two barren overs, both scored at least one boundary in each of the next five overs. In an over from pacer Lasith Malinga, both smashed fours. But in the next over Nuwan Kulasekara had Sehwag caught by Muttiah Muralitharan at third man as he tried to steer the ball.
In the very next over, Farveez Maharoof prised out Tendulkar as he tried to whack the ball without getting to the pitch of it and Kulasekara ran to catch him out at wide to deep third man.
But Gambhir and Rohit steadied the innings with a 64-run partnership for the third wicket.
Rohit was then involved in the best stand of the innings as he and Dhoni put on 68 for the fourth wicket at an excellent rate of 8.86 per over.
Yuvraj Singh disappointed again and was out just for six.
Malinga, Maharoof and Kalusekara took one wicket apiece.