Johnson Cherian.
M.S. Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar anchored India’s chase after a stunning batting collapse as it edged past Sri Lanka by three wickets in the second One-Day International cricket match here on Thursday.
Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya returned career-best figures of six for 54 to reduce India to 131 for seven while chasing a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 231 in 47 overs.
Dhoni, who scored 45, then put on an unbeaten 100 runs with Bhuvneshwar, who made 53, to steer the team home in 44.2 overs and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
India lost seven wickets for 22 runs after a 109-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma, who hit 54, and Shikhar Dhawan, who missed out on his half-century.
Turning on the heat
Dananjaya turned on the heat with his googly as he picked three crucial wickets, including that of skipper Virat Kohli for four, in an over, to take some steam off the Indian chase.
But an ice-cool Dhoni kept the chase on track with a gutsy partner at the other end in Bhuvneshwar, who had earlier gone wicketless during his spell.
While Dhoni kept picking singles and twos, Bhuvneshwar was happy playing the second fiddle before unleashing his power and registering his maiden one-day half-century.
Earlier, Milinda Siriwardana made a gritty 58 to lift Sri Lanka to 236 for eight in 50 overs after being put into bat. He put on a crucial 91 for the sixth wicket with Chamara Kapugedara, who made 40, after the host was in trouble at 121 for five against a disciplined Indian attack.
Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal got two.
The third match is scheduled for Sunday at the same venue.
