India ease home in Ahmedabad

It took India all of 45 deliveries to wrap up the Third Test against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad, seal the series by two matches to none and move above England into second place in the LG-ICC World Rankings.

The tourists resumed the final day’s play at 235 for six, needing another 274 to record the most unlikely of victories. They managed only fourteen as Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh shared the four wickets to fall evenly, Kumble claiming eight wickets in his hundredth Test match and Harbhajan recording his fourth ten-wicket haul in his fiftieth appearance.

Kumble was the first to strike as India raced to victory in Virender Sehwag’s first Test as captain, trapping Farveez Maharoof LBW as he played for turn that wasn’t there before Harbhajan claimed his two victims of the morning. Jehan Mubarak edged to VVS Laxman whilst Muttiah Muralitharan missed a characteristically wild swing. The stand-in captain then applied the finishing touches himself, holding a smart catch at gully off Kumble to complete the veteran’s five-for and seal a comprehensive win to cap a commanding series for the home side.

India 398
VVS Laxman 104, Irfan Pathan 82
Lasith Malinga 3/113, Muttiah Muralitharan 3/128

Sri Lanka 206
Tillakaratne Dilshan 65, Kumar Sangakkara 41
Harbhajan Singh 7/62, Anil Kumble 2/87

India 316
Yuvraj Singh 75, Ajit Agarkar 48
Malinga Bandara 3/84, Muttiah Muralitharan 3/90

Sri Lanka 249
Tillakaratne Dilshan 65, Mahela Jayawardene 57
Anil Kumble 5/89, Harbhajan Singh 3/79

India won by 259 runs and win the series 2-0

Cricket Web Player of the Match
Harbhajan Singh – 7/62, 3/79, 8* and 40*