Coca Cola Cup 2001|| Srilanka V India 8th Match

India fought back from a messy situation to carve out a 46-run victory against Sri Lanka in the triangular one-day cricket series here today and remain on course for a berth in the final on Sunday.

Having been put in to bat by Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya in a must-win game, India were tottering at 38 for four but wriggled out to a healthy 227 for eight thanks to a career-best unbeaten 98 by Yuvraj Singh.

The bowlers then did their job, skittling out Sri Lanka for 181 in 45.5 overs to give the team their second victory in the tournament.

India, who had just two points from four matches before this match, have completed the first part of their job with this win. They now need to beat New Zealand, who have four points from five matches, tomorrow to ensure their place in the final.

It was a gutsy performance by Yuvraj Singh, whose previous claim to fame was the match-winning innings of 84 on his debut against Australia in the ICC Knock Out Tournament in Nairobi last year, as he engineered a remarkable turnaround in the company of Rahul Dravid after the top-order collapse.

Yuvraj was unfortunate not to have reached his first one-day century but he can draw satisfaction from the fact that his effort was largely responsible for India’s win . That effort was duly acknowledged when he was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his heroic 110-ball knock that included six fours and a six.

India also owed its total to patient 47 by Dravid who prospered once again in his sheet anchor role. A quickfire 30 by Reetinder Singh Sodhi towards the end ensured India did not waste the advantages gained by Dravid and Yuvraj.

A total of 227 on a track that gave ample support to the bowlers was always going to be difficult for Sri Lanka. The hosts too lost early wickets but, unlike India, they could not get any partnership going which ultimately did them in.

Sri Lankan batsmen capitulated without a fight after the pace duo of Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan had put them in a situation similar to what India had been in the morning. Sri Lanka were unable to recover after being reduced to 24 for three in the eighth over and never really looked in the running.

India could not have had a worse start when opener Virender Sehwag, who was trapped leg before wicket by Chaminda Vaas off the first ball of the innings, and captain Saurav Ganguly were out with just seven runs, all extras, on the board.

There was more shock in store for them when V.V.S. Laxman and Hemang Badani fell in quick succession to leave India in a seemingly hopeless position. Laxman, who was just beginning to time the ball well, was foxed by a slower delivery from Dilhara Fernando and gave a simple catch to Jayasuriya at mid-off after making 10 runs.

Badani looked uncomfortable from the start and went for a wild slash off Fernando and only managed to give a regulation catch to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. He made two.

Dravid and Yuvraj were then engaged in the brilliant rescue act that set the course for a healthy total. They took their time to settle down and played patiently.

The duo first saw off the pace bowlers, who had been getting considerable help from the pitch, and then started picking up the singles and twos at a good rate once the spinners came into operation.

Seeing Yuvraj playing comfortably, Dravid, who had hit Vaas and Fernando for a boundary each early in his innings, rotated the strike and gave the youngster the opportunity to do the bulk of the scoring.

India’s run-rate picked up after the 25th over with both players picking up the runs easily in a spread-out field. Yuvraj caught up with his senior partner in the forties and overtook him to reach his 50 with a single off Arnold in the 33rd over. He had earlier hit the bowler over mid-on in the same over for his third boundary.