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Regular-article-logo Saturday, 21 June 2025

SOURAV, DRAVID ROUT LANKA 

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FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT Published 26.05.99, 12:00 AM
Taunton, May 26 :     India 373/6 (50 overs) Sri Lanka 216 (42.3 overs) MoM: Sourav Ganguly Powered by glorious centuries from Sourav Ganguly (183) and Rahul Dravid (145), Indian batting rose to unprecedented heights to notch up 373 for six, crush defending champions Sri Lanka by 157 runs and inch closer to a World Cup Super Six berth. Chasing 374, Lanka folded up for 216 in 42.3 overs. Ganguly and Dravid were associated in a blazing 318-run world record one-day stand before allrounder Robin Singh captured five or 31 to reduce this do-or-die tie into a no-contest. This is India?s second win in four matches and their points? tally of four now improves chances of a berth in the next round. India?s last group league tie, against England, is in Edgbaston Saturday. Lanka?s hopes of staying in the tournament hinge on their beating Kenya, improving their net run rate, and on India and Zimbabwe ? who meet South Africa ? losing their last matches. Ganguly, whose 183 was the second highest in the World Cup and the best ever by an Indian, smashed seven sixes and 17 fours in his 158-ball innings before falling off the penultimate ball of the innings. Dravid, who reached the three-figure mark ahead of his partner, played only 129 balls and hit 17 fours and a six over extra-cover. He was run out in the 46th over but by then India had reached 324, effectively putting the match beyond the defending champions. Under tremendous pressure to log full points and stay afloat, Ganguly and Dravid scythed the Lankan attack after opener Sadagopan Ramesh fell to Chaminda Vaas? first over. Dravid led the charge with brilliant drives and flicks. Ganguly joined in the feast, leaving Lanka in total disarray. Hardly playing a false stroke, both kept up the tempo and the runs came in a torrent. India climaxed their near-perfect batting by smashing 128 in final 10 overs. During that period Ganguly launched a murderous assault on Muttiah Muralidharan, till then the most economic bowler. He smote the off-spinner for four massive sixes. Twice the ball was lost as Ganguly sent it out of the small ground. Nothing, not even the cheap dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar (2) and a minor middle-order collapse ? with Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh falling off successive Pramodaya Wickremasinghe deliveries in the 48th over ? could get Lanka a toe-hold into the tie. Robin stifled the Lanka chase, claiming Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga just when they looked like launching a counter-attack. Robin took his 50th one-day wicket today when he claimed Eric Upasantha.    
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