5th ODI: Sri Lanka elect to bat against India
Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene finally won the toss and decided to bat first against India in the fifth and final One-Day
International being played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
Team India’s morale is on cloud nine as they not only had series in their kitty but they have also achieved their best-ever ODI ranking (number two).
A confident India would certainly go for the kill as they aim a series whitewash against Lanka in the final eleven. Both the teams will have to adjust accordingly as it is once gain a day affair. The teams will be playing in the same turf used in the last ODI.
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan have been rested for the final One-dayer also. In addition, Pragyan Ojha and Praveen Kumar too have been rested as they made way for debutant Ravindra Jadeja and Lakshmipathy Balaji in the final eleven.
It has already turned out to be a dream series for Dhoni, who made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian captain to win nine ODIs on the trot and he would surely like to keep the winning momentum.
The Indians have been phenomenal in all departments of the game in the series while in contrast the hosts were rather disappointing.
A demoralised Lankan outfit, which is at the brink of facing an embarrassing 0-5 series whitewash, will play to salvage some pride in front of their home crowd in the last match of the series. They have been outwitted at every aspects of the game by Dhoni’s men in blue
Although Murali created history in the last match by becoming the highest wicket-taker in One Day International, still he wasn’t convincing enough during the series as he had to toil hard to achieve the feat. He alongwith mystery man Ajantha Mendis never looked threatening as Indian batsmen negotiated them with consummate ease.
TEAMS
India:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Yuvraj Singh.
Sri Lanka :
Mahela Jayewardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thilina Thushara.
