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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMichael Clarke top scored with 99 not out as Australia’s batsmen fired them to 290•Getty Images

There will be no clean-sweep for England. It was too late to save the series but Australia’s batsmen, led by Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting, finally delivered a total their bowlers could defend at The Oval. Ryan Harris did just that, with five wickets and a Man-of-the-Match award, that handed England a 78-run defeat and offset any disappointment for Clarke, who earlier had been stranded on 99 in setting up Australia’s 290 for 5.Australia’s win will restore a little pride for the visitors, but mostly they will be pleased that a 0-5 result is no longer possible. England’s eight-game winning streak, stretching back to their tour of South Africa in November, ended with a bowling display that was just slightly off the mark, and Australia’s underperforming batsmen seized their opportunity.James Anderson had mastered the yorker earlier in the series but here he fell short too often; in one case comically so as he pitched the ball about a metre in front of his feet. Tim Bresnan has struggled to contain over the past week and did so again, and the spinners Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy were driven into the deep with ease and patience by Ponting and Clarke.Fittingly it was the captain and vice-captain who combined for a 155-run stand and lifted the experienced batting group to their best total of the series. Against an attack energised by Shaun Tait and led by Harris, who collected his third five-wicket haul in a 16-game career, England found their task too great. They had several men who looked capable of guiding the chase, but each fell before he could create major headaches for Ponting.There was Strauss, who punched his way to 37 before Tait’s pace and late swing drew an edge behind. There was Kevin Pietersen, who in six balls looked the most destructive he has in the series, with two boundaries and another denied by the stumps at the non-striker’s end. He was upset to be lbw to Harris advancing down the pitch, but the umpire’s decision was sound.And there was Eoin Morgan, who treated half-volleys from James Hopes with disdain and lifted him over the boundary three times. When Morgan edged behind off Harris for 47, the life drained from the contest. A late 57 from Yardy sparked minor interest from the crowd, but with the required run-rate hovering above nine, it was all too much.England did have their misfortune – Paul Collingwood was wrongly given lbw to a Steven Smith legbreak that would have missed a fourth stump – but the result was set up when their bowlers couldn’t restrict Australia. Neither Ponting (92) nor Clarke were rewarded with a century, but they got their job done.Clarke’s milestone was tantalisingly close. A single off the first ball of the 50th over took him to 99 and he watched on as an in-form Smith faced the rest of the over, leaving Clarke as the ninth player in ODI history to remain unbeaten one short of a hundred, and the third Australian after Dean Jones and Brad Hodge.Although he again struggled to be the boundary man in the final stages, Clarke’s overall effort was his most positive and fluent in limited-overs cricket for some time, and he made Anderson pay for dropping him at cover on 5. A pair of boundaries off Anderson soon afterwards, one over cover and one through the leg side, gave Clarke confidence and he kept the scoreboard ticking over throughout his stand with Ponting.For his part, the captain was in excellent touch and was at his best driving off the back foot through the off side with terrific timing. The scratchiness he showed three days ago at Old Trafford was eradicated as he swept with self-assurance and refused to allow pressure to build through the middle overs.Ponting seemed to be headed for a century when he called the batting Powerplay at the start of the 43rd over but from its first ball, he was caught at cover trying to clear the infield off Anderson. Ponting was gone for 92 off 93 balls, but he had given Australia an excellent platform. His must-win attitude was obvious the moment Shane Watson holed out for 41, giving away another strong start.Watson pinpointed Morgan on the midwicket boundary with a slog-sweep off Swann and as he bowed his head in disappointment, he felt the eyes of his partner Ponting staring at him from the middle of the pitch. This was not what Watson had in mind when he spoke before the match of playing a big innings, and nor was it what the captain was expecting.In the end it didn’t matter. Australia did enough to prevent a whitewash, and will aim to pull the score back to a respectable 3-2 at Lord’s on Saturday.

Don Lockerbie, the chief executive of the USA Cricket Association, has said the key to popularising the sport in the United States lies in more international cricket being played there. Speaking to Harsha Bhogle on Cricinfo’s audio show , Lockerbie said he aimed to replicate for cricket the wave of popularity the FIFA World Cup in 1994 generated for football in the United States, and believed that, like football, cricket too would have a professional league in the country in due time. While acknowledging that Twenty20 cricket was the main vehicle to draw more people to the game, he added there was potential for the longer versions to attract a fan base as well.”In 1994, the soccer World Cup took place, and it generated great interest in the sport and it was followed by the Major League Soccer which started in 1996, two years later,” Lockerbie said. “We are looking to do that too. We would love for the ICC to look at the United States in the future for some ICC events.”We are well under way in a planning situation wherein we are working towards professionalisation of cricket in the US,” he said. “We are working towards equalising what some of the other Associate nations like Ireland, Scotland, Holland and Canada have been able to do recently; beginning to put some of their players on professional retainers, and some of these players are now travelling and playing all over the world and getting IPL opportunities. We need to do that in the United States, and along with that will come a professional league.”USA recently hosted a Twenty20 series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and Lockerbie said that was the first step towards getting more fans to the game. “We are looking to bring in the best teams in the world,” he said. “Even 14 years after the Major League Soccer started in the United States they are averaging 14,000, 17,000, 18,000 people to a match, which isn’t too bad. But when Barcelona comes to play Manchester United in Philadelphia they have 90,000. Why is that? When Mexico plays the United States, they can get 100,000 at the Rose Bowl. So the point is that the soccer has a good history now of being positive. By bringing in ‘Destination USA,’ events, and what we think was a successful Sri Lanka-New Zealand series, we start that way.”The potential for investing in cricket in the US remained huge, Lockerbie said, given the country’s infrastructure and record for hosting sporting events with success. “Well, our little game is the second most popular sport in the world, as I view it, behind football. With the great interest from the rest of the world, in the United States, people want to do business in United States. We believe that we are on our way to corporate sponsorship, investment in US cricket, development of facilities.”The mayor of Indianapolis is very serious about building a cricket stadium; Indianapolis is often called the sports capital of the United States. The Indianapolis 500 just took place the other day, with 500,000 fans at the event, the world largest one-day sporting event. We know how to put on events, and their attitude is – cricket is the second most popular sport in the world and why wouldn’t there be a stadium in Indianapolis.”The city of New York has said to us that one day they would like to have a cricket venue, and they could see themselves as the capital of cricket in the United States. We could become the capital of cricket in the western hemisphere. This is a very big step, and I am hoping to work with my board of directors, our investors, and sponsors, to make that happen in the next three or five years.”In addition to making the United States, with its large untapped fan base, a prime destination for international cricket, Lockerbie stated two other main goals: ensuring the US national team qualifies for the 2015 World Cup and developing a youth programme by taking cricket to the schools.While conceding Twenty20 cricket was the spark to draw more support for the game in the US, Lockerbie said that Tests and ODIs too, if played by the right teams, stood the potential to take off. “That’s [T20] is the perfect storm for us. We are better organised, and there is growing interest. Even in the last five-six years, the amount of immigrants moving to the United States, who are cricket crazy, has just doubled and tripled. So we are ready to go with that perfect storm, the Twenty20 game.”In the right city, with the right demographics, with the right two teams playing, I don’t see why four-five day cricket is any different than Phil Mickelson teeing off on Thursday and winning a golf tournament on Sunday. You’ve had 60,000 people walking that golf course. Now if India plays almost anybody in a Test match, say in New York, we will have 40,000-50,000 people there.”

Match facts

Saturday, May 1, St Lucia
Start time 1330 (1730 GMT)The last time Bangladesh celebrated victory in a Twenty20 was at the 2007 World T20•Getty Images

Big Picture

Rust could conceivably be a part of it when Bangladesh and Pakistan open proceedings in a tight Group A. The defending champions have played six Twenty20 internationals since last year’s final and Bangladesh only two. Neither set of players had any involvement in the IPL, though there was some competitive domestic T20s.But the format bestows natural flavours to both sides; Pakistan’s players are long used to it and of Bangladesh it is said that the shorter the format the greater their opportunity. Bald statistics, in win-loss numbers, don’t bear this out but the threat remains greatest surely in this format, given the fine margins on which it is built.In any case, Bangladesh are much improved recently, as performances against India and England indicate. In Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe Mortaza they have the makings of a solid spine. Sprinkled around them, Pakistan will do well to understand, is credible danger in men such as Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Mahmudullah and Abdur Razzak.But even without Umar Gul, Pakistan will take some bringing down. Is there any side in the tournament as flexible? There are five allrounders (not including Kamran Akmal) in the squad and conceivably four of them will make any starting XI. If the batting is thinned, and will miss Shoaib Malik and even Younis Khan from last year, the bowling attack and its variety will be the envy of all.Both sides are blessed with spin and it may well be a decisive factor.

Form guide (most recent first)

Pakistan WLLWW
Bangladesh LLLLL

Watch out for

Pakistan’s middle order is bare, so much will depend on Umar Akmal, their batting discovery of the last year. He hasn’t quite exploded in the format just yet, but his skills are far too well-rounded for that to remain the case. He has the shots and the head and a couple of handy innings in the Champions Trophy last year hinted at a temperament for the big stage.Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s Atlas, a man eminently capable not only of propping up his side when needed, but dragging them along in his brilliance. In particular, given Pakistan’s frailties against left-arm spin, his four overs will have to be carefully monitored. He hasn’t struck gold with the bat yet in T20 internationals, but it is only a matter of time.

Team news

Pakistan’s ideal line-up should be fairly straightforward, especially the batting, in which there are fairly limited options. The bowling will depend on the surface; if there is spin, they can play two seamers (with Abdul Razzaq the third seamer) and have up to five spinning options. Otherwise they can play three fast bowlers (with Razzaq again) and still have four spinning options.Pakistan (possible) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Shahid Afridi (capt), 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Fawad Alam, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Mohammad Sami, 9 Mohammad Aamer, 10 Mohammad Asif, 11 Saeed AjmalBangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mohammad Ashraful, 4 Aftab Ahmed, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Naeem Islam, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 9 Mashrafe Mortaza, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Syed Rasel

Stats and trivia

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outChris Gayle blasted 88 off 42, but his knock was overshadowed by a century from Mahela Jayawardene•Indian Premier League

There were two captivating innings of contrasting styles on show at the Eden Gardens and, eventually, it was the precision of Mahela Jayawardene’s graceful strokes that helped Kings XI Punjab overcome the challenge set by Chris Gayle’s exhibition of bottom-handed power-hitting. Jayawardene started in high gear and kept the accelerator floored all the way to his first Twenty20 century; his partnership with Sri Lankan team-mate Kumar Sangakkara ensured Punjab’s string of deplorable performances this season ended with a chase that was always several steps ahead of the asking-rate.While this victory did little for Punjab’s semi-final chances – they need to win five more in a row and then pray – it damaged Kolkata Knight Riders’ campaign. Had they won, they would have climbed to fourth in the league after nine games, ahead of Chennai Super Kings, but instead they remained fifth, just above the Rajasthan Royals. Such a helpless defence of a formidable target would have been far removed from the expectations of a noisy crowd, high on adrenalin after Gayle had blitzed 88 off 42 balls during an innings that contained a 33-run over, the costliest of the IPL.It began poorly for the hosts, with Murali Kartik fumbling the first ball of the chase at point and allowing a single, which brought Jayawardene on strike. He got on his toes as Shane Bond delivered, rode the bounce, and cut his first ball to boundary. Jayawardene, who had asked to open because Shaun Marsh was injured, continued to thread cuts through the off side, against Bond and Jaidev Unadkat, and also found the long-off boundary with a graceful straight drive. His first leg-side boundary was a lofted six off Unadkat in the fourth over. He lost his opening partner Manvinder Bisla, who biffed few boundaries as well, in the fifth over to an arm ball from Kartik, but his intensity and strike-rate did not relent.In the final over of the Powerplay, Jayawardene made room and square-drove Gayle for four, stayed back and pulled over short fine leg, and lofted the last ball back over the bowler’s head for six. Punjab scored 17 runs off the over and were 69 for 1 after six. There was rain in the air and Duckworth-Lewis equations on players’ minds. If the game ended there, Punjab were ahead. It would stay that way.Sangakkara’s contribution was vital too, for his 38 off 22 balls eased the pressure on Jayawardene, who had reached his half-century off 26 balls. Sangakkara took on Angelo Mathews in his first over, charging to loft over mid-on for four before clearing the straight boundary in his second.Punjab had raced to 105 for 1 after 9.5 overs when Jayawardene gave Kolkata a chance, spooning Mathews to short third man. He was on 51, Punjab needed 95 off 61 balls, but Kartik dropped the opportunity. He was made to regret it immediately. Jayawardene hit three fours in the next over, bowled by Ajit Agarkar, and Punjab continued to whittle down the target rapidly. The identity of the bowler didn’t matter, for Jayawardene found the boundary at will, and neither did Sangakkara’s dismissal with the score on 149. They had added 98 off 8.5 overs.Yuvraj Singh, smarting from the criticism heaped on him by the media, ensured there was no choke, clouting 33 off 16 balls. He was applauding Jayawardene’s century, off 55 balls, even before they completed the run that got him there. The match ended with successive boundaries from Jayawardene – one helped past fine leg, the other pulled in front of midwicket – off the first two balls of the 19th over, but the Eden Gardens faithful had been silenced well before that.Unlike Punjab’s chase, which was fuelled by consistently expensive overs, Kolkata’s innings relied on Gayle awakening from a run-a-ball torpor to reach 200. He had faced only 24 balls in the first half of the innings and scored only 24, with no sixes. Ramesh Powar, the offspinner, had restricted him by bowling into his pads from over the wicket, varying his pace and trajectory. Gayle had tried to play the sweep but his timing wasn’t fluent.Finally, in the 11th over, Gayle stirred. Powar had bowled 3.5 overs for 17 runs, when Gayle advanced to his final ball and muscled it over the long-on boundary. Powar finished with 0 for 23 off four overs; his team-mates were not going to be as fortunate.Kolkata were 89 for 1 when Bopara came on to bowl the 13th, and carnage was around the corner. Manoj Tiwary rotated the strike with a single off the first delivery, and Gayle heaved the second and third over the midwicket and long-on boundary, losing the ball in the construction rubble. He had sped to 50 off 30 balls, scoring 26 off his last six balls, and more was to follow. For the fourth ball, Gayle created some room, stayed low and launched it flat over the cover boundary. The fifth was lost in the long-on rubble again. Bopara, reeling from four consecutive sixes, let slip a wide which beat the wicketkeeper too. At the end of the over, Kolkata were 122 for 1, and Gayle was on 62 off 32.Gayle then skied a mis-hit off Chawla. The bowler wanted to take the catch himself and made a mess of it, much to Ganguly’s mirth in the dug out. Jayawardene, however, ensured that Ganguly would not be the last one laughing on the night.

Spectators in India, for too long, have had to tolerate sub-standard conditions•Getty Images

A smooth entry: “Quite long queues, don’t wait too long [to leave for the stadium]” warned a colleague already at the Chinnaswamy. Entering a stadium in India can be an unforgettably unpleasant experience because of aforementioned queues, bottleneck entry points and the slow processing of tickets and security checks by officious policemen.The security was tight today but unobtrusive – spectators got in quickly, past the impressive electronic turnstiles, were frisked smoothly and reached their seats without constantly thinking it would have been easier to watch the game on television. All along the way there were enough volunteers to help with directions and in easing the rush.Don’t bring your own, we’ll give you some: The list of items spectators are forbidden to bring with them is long and all encompassing. You wouldn’t get in with a large flag, or something to create a din with. But the organisers were handing it all out. ‘Cheer kits’, Royal Challenger flags, inflatable noisemakers and more. The props were everywhere and the fans used them. The result was a sea of waving flags and an awful din.F&B: The last time around, even expensive seats at IPL games witnessed an unseemly rush for food, a shortage of water and fights at the wine and beer counters. There’s no liquor on sale this time but plenty of food and beverages – even pizzas delivered to your seat, fairly warm and tempting – and, crucially, lots of free bottled water. That may seem trivial to cricket fans elsewhere but a huge step up from the regular in-stadia food and drink in India.Play the funky music : A clever compere knows how to work the crowd, and picks the right moments to rouse them. Today’s DJ had his moments. In the ninth over Anil Kumble stopped two powerful drives from Ravi Bopara off his own bowling. The second one hurt him and he walked away, calling for the physio to come and attend to his hand. The compere urged the crowd to get behind their captain, beginning the chant of “Jumbo, Jumbo”. It caught on quickly and soon “R-C-B, R-C-B” became the rallying call as Punjab’s openers forged a threatening partnership.He then played his music – theme songs for both Bangalore and Punjab – and repeatedly urged the crowd to cheer whenever the cricket stopped: in between balls, between overs, during time-outs. It was incessant and an assault on the senses of the more sedate cricket fan who’d also want to pay attention to field placements, bowling changes and other minutiae. But if the proof of the pudding is in the eating, there was dancing in the aisles, on chairs, and on some walls too.The local connection: Pick your players with care. Bangalore have made a concerted effort to build domestic talent within their team. They bought Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa, Karnataka players who were Mumbai Indians in 2008, and when they batted today, the crowd responded magnificently.Admittedly they didn’t have much to cheer for while Punjab were stacking up 203, but there was a terrific atmosphere when Pandey began to tee off. The noise built to a crescendo when Uthappa, at No. 3, overtook Kallis during a game-changing half-century. He felt it too. “It’s a great feeling when you get that sort of backing in front of your home crowd,” Uthappa said. “I feel very much an integral part of the side now [after shifting from Mumbai].”It’s not just television: The IPL’s big bucks come from selling television rights. Ticket sales make up only a tiny percentage of the revenue. However, to achieve their goal of building a fan base for each of franchises, and filling stadiums, the organisers would do well to follow Bangalore’s example. Kolkata already had a faithful following. Not all of the others do.Location, location, location: The modern trend of building stadiums in the middle of nowhere, as in Nagpur and Hyderabad, has its advantages but the Chinnaswamy’s location in the heart of Bangalore puts it right at the top of the pile. Where else in India can you come out of a cricket ground and, within a five-minute walk, be in the city centre? Where else, indeed, is the weather pleasant enough to walk around the square mile of pubs and restaurants?The complaints: It’d also be nice if none of the seats were broken, especially if the ticket costs Rs. 2750.

Bangladesh’s most-capped cricketer, Mohammad Ashraful, has been omitted from the Test squad for the forthcoming series against England, after failing to convince the selectors that he is in the right frame of mind to resume his international career.Ashraful, 25, missed last week’s ODI series in a bid to recapture his form following a poor tour of New Zealand, but in consecutive first-class matches for Dhaka Division, he made 21 runs in four innings, including three ducks.His final chance to impress the selectors came during his captaincy stint for Bangladesh A against England at Chittagong, but having managed just 1 in the first innings, he was bowled by Amjal Shahzad for 30 on the third and final morning of the match.Ashraful has played in 53 of Bangladesh’s 64 Tests to date, having made his mark with a debut century against Sri Lanka in November 2001, when he was just 16 years old. However, he has never yet featured in a home Test against England, having been dropped for the 2003 series, again due to a loss of form.The Bangladesh selectors have named a 14-man squad which includes the centurion from the warm-up match, Raqibul Hasan, as well as no fewer than three left-arm spinners – the captain Shakib Al Hasan, Abdur Razzak and Enamul Haque Jr – in response to Kevin Pietersen’s much-publicised problems against that style of bowling.Ironically, Pietersen fell to Ashraful’s spin for 20 on the final afternoon of the tour match.Bangladesh squad Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Aftab Ahmed, Mahmudullah, Raqibul Hasan, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Enamul Haque Jr, Shahadat Hossain.

ScorecardAfghanistan’s fairytale run of success finally crashed down to earth with a chastening four-wicket defeat to Canada in the second match of the series in Sharjah. They never recovered from a disastrous start that saw Khurram Chohan destroy the top order, leaving Afghanistan floundering at 4 for 3 by the third over, on his way to match-winning figures of 4 for 43.It was due reward for Chohan who’s four wickets in the opening fixture so nearly took Canada to victory. He started the day by claiming Shafiqullah Shafiq and last game’s centurion Mohammad Shahzad in his first over, before following it up with Nowroz Mangal and debutant Shabir Noori to leave Afghanistan 38 for 5 and in utter disarray.He was well supported by Rizwan Cheema and Umar Bhatti, who took two wickets each with their nagging seamers. It was only a 51-run sixth-wicket stand and Mohammad Nabi’s well-constructed 62 that gave Afghanistan any semblance of respectability. Nabi played in the way he does best, belting five sixes and three fours during his 57-ball stay. Dominating a last-wicket stand with Aftab Alam, the pair added 49 to take Afghanistan to 177.It didn’t look enough and despite being reduced to 35 for 2 after 10 overs Canada were careful not to undo their good work. Sandeep Jyoti and captain Ashish Bagai, who richly deserved a win after making an unbeaten 91 in the first game, worked the ball around nicely during an 82-run stand that all but sealed the game. Jyoti made a patient 38 before he fell to Aftab Alam, while Bagai continued his good form striking five boundaries during his 59-ball 52.Nabi threatened to cause a late scare when he took two wickets in the 35th over, reducing Canada to 144 for 6, still 34 runs short of the target, but Jawad Dawood came out and immediately arrested the momentum and any hopes of a fightback. He crashed 25 from 19 balls to give Canada their first win of the series.

The teenager Mitchell Marsh has been named in the Prime Minister’s XI side to take on the West Indians in Canberra on February 4. Matthew Hayden will captain the side, which is mostly made up of promising state players who will be aiming for Australian selection over the next couple of years.The inclusion of Marsh, 18, has confirmed the selectors are keeping a close eye on him following an excellent start to his domestic career and his naming as Australia’s captain at the Under-19 World Cup. The squad also features Tim Paine, who has played 15 ODIs over the past six months, and the spinner Jon Holland, who was in Australia’s one-day squad in India.Other men who could be in line for Australian selection in the next few years include the Tasmanian batsman George Bailey, the South Australian fast bowler Peter George and the Victorian allrounder John Hastings. Players from Queensland and New South Wales were not considered as they meet for a one-day game the day before the match.Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said the squad showed the depth of young talent in Australia. “The players in this squad have already shown great form in the interstate season and they now get a chance to prove themselves against a quality West Indies outfit,” Hilditch said.”George Bailey, Tom Cooper and Travis Birt are all in the top ten run scorers in the Ford Ranger Cup this season and all deserve this chance to play against the West Indies. Mitchell Marsh will take another step in his development following his debut with the Warriors in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash and captaining the Australian Under-19 team in the ICC World Cup.”Prime Minister’s XI Matthew Hayden (capt), Tom Cooper, Travis Birt, George Bailey, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), John Hastings, James Pattinson, Ben Oakley, Jon Holland, Peter George, Jordan McLennan (12th man).

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Tillakaratne Dilshan’s aggression set the platform for Sri Lanka’s successful chase•Associated Press

The second humdinger between these two teams this week ran the gamut from wonderful to what-the-heck as runs and wickets flowed in equal measure in good batting conditions. Sri Lanka leveled the series with a three-wicket win in a match defined by two individual innings, contrasting in style and strength, at either end of a collapse that threatened to give India the advantage and a 2-0 lead.With another evening of thrilling batting, Tillakaratne Dilshan proved right every single reason behind Sri Lanka’s decision in January to open the innings with him permanently. Dilshan’s fifth one-day century, and second in a row, was the dominant force in Sri Lanka clinching this win but it so nearly ended up in another lost cause, if not for Angelo Mathews.Dilshan contributed 63 to a 102-run opening stand, playing with the freedom and control fans have grown accustomed to; then, in the period where India followed up a double-strike with 12 boundary-less overs, he collected his century while ensuring the asking rate stayed in control. There was a massive scare as Sri Lanka lost three wickets, and a limping Mathews was called on to douse the flames. That he did, standing one on leg and coolly striking out the threat of a revved-up India. With eight needed from nine balls the match was on a knife’s edge, but Nehra bowled a full toss, Mathews bunted it to mid-on, and Zaheer let it right through his legs for four.While India’s attack had been spread through the line-up, with Virat Kohli, centurion MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina playing dominant roles, Sri Lanka rode on Dilshan’s shoulders. Needing to score at over a run a ball, he got the chase off to a brisk start. And as often happens, India failed to apply pressure from both ends. If Zaheer allowed just a run off his second over, Praveen Kumar leaked three consecutive fours in his, veering between too wide and too full. Ashish Nehra wasn’t allowed to settle, with both openers punching aerial down the ground, and Zaheer’s length was offset by a manipulative Dilshan. Sri Lanka’s fifty came up in 6.3 overs, most of the runs coming down the ground.It was enthralling batting from Dilshan. Zaheer and Nehra tried to push him back but he rode the bounce, and at times his luck – such as when he danced out to Nehra and edged for four. Whenever the ball was pitched up, Dilshan, at times batting out of his crease, plonked his front foot further forward and clunked powerful drives over mid-off and mid-on.After Virender Sehwag Dilshan comes closest in today’s era to being able to make the bowler bowl where wants them to. Dhoni turned to Harbhajan Singh for the eighth over, slip and leg gully in place. Having come out and gone back to pick the gaps in Harbhajan’s first over, Dilshan had the bowler in two minds. At one point, he twice hurried out to thump the ball down the ground, as he’d spotted the extra flight. Then Harbhajan bowled it quicker and wider, hoping Dilshan would come out to that one as well. Instead Dilshan read it perfectly, stayed in position, and cut it past point for four. The batsman had set the bowler up.When Harbhajan purchased some turn, Dilshan used his crease to get over the ball, nudging it off his pads. A streaky but deliberate edge off Harbhajan for four raised a 31-ball fifty. Harbhajan had some success against Upul Tharanga, who was lured out and then edged a breaking ball to slip where Sehwag snapped a good catch to his left (102 for 1). Dilshan was then responsible for running his captain out, and for the next 55 deliveries India, through Nehra, Praveen and Ravindra Jadeja, pulled Sri Lanka back.Dilshan spent 16 deliveries in the nineties, reached his century, raised his arms, and promptly clubbed Nehra for two dingers that snapped a 12-over barren run of no boundaries. He featured in a 66-run third-wicket stand with Mahela Jayawardene, which ended when Nehra bowled Dilshan with a fine yorker.MS Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn’t fall away after Virat Kohli departed•Associated Press

Zaheer delivered a further twist in the tale when, with 70 needed from 66, he got Jayawardene to nick for 39. With the rate within grasp thanks to Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby cut out the risks until his first aerial shot, in the first over of the batting Powerplay, was excellently held by a leaping Kohli at mid-on. Two legal deliveries later, a perfect yorker cleaned up Chamara Kapudegera, and the game was India’s to win. But Mathews controlled his eagerness to flat-bat marvelously, nudging and pushing the ball around with the occasional aggressive drive to remain unbeaten on 37. He was outstanding under pressure, and aided by a runner (Kapugedera) picked out the deliveries to put away. Zaheer’s gross error sealed Sri Lanka’s fate.At the halfway mark, the visitors would have considered the target within their reach as the wicket was still good for batting. After deciding to make first use of a pitch virtually devoid of grass, a century stand between Dhoni and Raina, after a shaky start, picked up the tempo for India. Coming together at the fall of Kohli (54), Dhoni and Raina gave India their best phase.Dhoni ensured that the momentum didn’t fall away, working the ball around superbly from the outset, and immediately showing the rich vein of form he is in this year. It wasn’t a pure innings though. Dhoni had edged his first ball for four, was nearly taken at third man when on 11, edged wide of Kumar Sangakkara on 24, and got two more lives in three balls from his counterpart off Ajantha Mendis. Dhoni raised his half-century off 70 balls and thumped a six to celebrate.Dhoni picked the batting Powerplay after 40 overs, just after Raina dumped Chanaka Welegedara for six over long-on. Two more sixes, again hit down the ground with power, pushed Sri Lanka onto the back foot as the pair took on Mendis and Suraj Randiv on in a three-over burst that bled 35 runs. Raina’s fifty came up off 44 balls and that five-over block yielded 50. Looking for his fourth six, Raina picked out deep midwicket, and soon after, Mendis dropped a clanger at cover when Dhoni was on 94. In the same over, Dhoni raised his century, his second in consecutive innings in Nagpur, to a rousing reception.Those cheers were nowhere near as boisterous when Dilshan raised his, but the resonance of the game’s second century was definitely louder.