RAJKOT, 10 November 2005 — India’s teenaged paceman Rudra Pratap Singh grabbed four wickets to set up a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the sixth one-dayer yesterday.
The 19-year-old left-arm bowler extracted sharp bounce on a flat pitch to claim four for 35 to help skittle the visitors for 196 in 42.5 overs after stand-in captain Virender Sehwag opted to bowl first.
India coasted to 197 for three in 34.5 overs to extend their lead in the series to 5-1 with a game left.
Left-hander Yuvraj Singh smashed nine fours and three sixes to remain 79 not out, sharing a racy 105-run partnership for the unbeaten fourth wicket with Mohammad Kaif (38 not out).
Sri Lankan middle-order batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan struck 59 but the rest of the batsmen struggled against a largely inexperienced bowling. Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando removed both openers early but Sri Lanka did not have enough runs to defend.
Gautam Gambhir (28), fresh from his maiden one-day hundred in the last game, played on to his stumps and Sachin Tendulkar (19) holed out to mid-on. India were down to 92 for three after Sehwag (22) was out to leg-spinner Upul Chandana.
However, the 24-year-old Yuvraj, who made just 45 runs in the first five games, regained his touch to hit his 19th one-day fifty, playing superb shots in his 67-ball effort.
Sri Lanka’s top-order batsmen faltered again on a good batting pitch in the morning.
Pacemen S. Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan struck early to remove opener Sanath Jayasuriya (19) and number three batsman Kumar Sangakkara (9) respectively.
Jayasuriya, troubled by a shoulder injury and having made only 66 runs in the series, was caught behind and fellow left-hander Sangakkara then miscued a catch to mid-on.
R.P.Singh, named man of the match, surprised opener Upul Tharanga (28) with extra bounce to force him to edge a catch behind the stumps. Bowling accurately, the tall bowler then had skipper Marvan Atapattu top-edge a shot to be caught at mid-on for nine. Dilshan scored his third consecutive fifty to rescue the innings from 83 for five in the 18th over.
The 29-year-old batsman, who top-scored 81 not out in the previous game, struck nine fours in another assured display before becoming one of two run out victims, Yuvraj producing a direct hit from point at the non-striker’s end.
Sri Lanka suffered a blow in the morning after off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was ruled out because of a hamstring injury.
Indian captain Rahul Dravid also missed the match due to a similar injury.
The final game will be played in Baroda on Saturday.
