4. Rajkot, 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtHL6wICZOI

Sri Lanka asked Indian to bat first on a dry Rajkot pitch and it turned out to be a run fest. In the first 20 overs, India scored 153 runs, Sachin Tendulkar (69 runs with 10 fours and 1 six) supporting a furious Virender Sehwag. MS Dhoni shifted the momentum, by promoting himself to no.3 and smashed 72 runs in 53 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. Virat Kohli made 27 in 19 balls and Jadeja hit 30 runs off 17 balls to take India to a humongous total of 414/7 in 50 overs.

The hero for India was Virender Sehwag who smacked 146 in 102 balls with 17 fours and 6 sixes. He added 153 runs with Tendulkar and 156 runs with MS Dhoni before getting out. For Sri Lanka, Fernando, Kulasekara and Welegedara took 2 scalps each for 60 odd runs, while Jayasuriya went for 76 runs in his 7 overs.

In reply, Tharanga (67) and a Dilshan in destructive mood took Sri Lanka to 188 in 24 overs before Tharanga got out. Then came the real destruction as Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan ran through the Indian bowlers.

Sangakkara made 90 runs in just 43 balls with 10 fours and 5 sixes. Dilshan scored his career best 160 in 124 balls with 20 fours and 3 sixes. Both built a partnership of 128 runs in just 13 overs. However, Indian bowlers brought India in the game again with cheap wickets of Jayasuriya (5) and Jayawardene (3).

But as India got satisfied, Kandamby (24) and Mathews (38) grabbed the opportunity and added quickfire 56 runs and SL needed 11 runs from the last over. However, Nehra bowled a tight over and SL ended up on 411/8, 3 runs short of the target. India won an astounding run fest, where their most economical bowler was Harbhajan with figures of 2/58.