Colombo: India break 22-year-old jinx with 2-1 series win in Sri Lanka

ColomboIndia today clinched their first Test series victory on Sri Lankan soil in 22 years with an emphatic 117run win over the hosts in the third and final cricket Test despite a valiant century by rival skipper Angelo MathewsAfter setting a daunting victory target of 386 India managed to dismiss the Sri Lankans for 268 on a wicket which slowed down considerably to wrap up the series 21 their first overseas series victory since June 2011 against the West Indies It was new captain Virat Kohlis first series win ever since he took over reins of the team from Mahendra Singh DhoniR Ashwin celebrates a wicket with his team Pic AFPOn an absorbing final days play the visitors took two quick wickets in the morning session before Mathews 110 and debutant Kusal Perera 70 scripted a spirited fightback to frustrate the Indians The duo put on a resolute 135run partnership for the sixth wicket the secondhighest stand in the fourth innings in Sri Lankas Test history Roy Dias and Duleep Mendis hold the record of biggest fourth innings partnership with a 214 run standOffspinner R Ashwin was the pick of the Indian bowlers with four for 69 while paceman Ishant Sharma scalped three for 32 Umesh Yadav chipped in with two for 65 The last time an Indian team won a series in Sri Lanka was way back in 1993 under Mohammed Azharuddins leadership when they sealed the series with 10 scorelineThe fifth days action was not devoid of drama as more onfield altercation took place with Kusal Perera being involved in a heated exchange with Indian players Ashwin took the last wicket of Nuwan Pradep to bring about Indias moment of glory triggering scenes of wild celebrations in the dressing room as the players hugged each other and picked up the stumps as mementosAshwin provided the vital breakthrough by breaking the sixthwicket partnership with Pereras scalp The second new ball taken after tea break turned the tide completely in Indias favour with Ishant getting rid of Mathews in the very first overMathews struck his seventh Test hundred as the skipper was solid from one end while the keeperbatsman Perera looked to go on the offensive With the pitch easing out and India rotating their bowlers in short spells the two batsmen made merry at the creaseTheir 50run partnership came off only 85 balls as Sri Lanka crossed the 100mark In the first hour after lunch they added 39 runs in 13 overs with the match hanging inbalance Then the 200mark came up in the 68th over On their part the Indian bowlers didniquestt lose control of their line and length with runs not coming too quickly for any discomfortBut the partnership increased as time passed and Mathews Perera put on 100 runs off 186 balls Perera scored his second halfcentury of the match reaching there off 89 balls It was Mathews who was the star of the day though reaching his second consecutive hundred in the series off 217 balls He should have been out LBW at 93 but umpire Nigel Llong denied Mishra in the 70th over on account of an inside edge which wasnt there It almost looked as if India would go wicketless in the session but Ashwin returned one last time before the tea break to remove PereraThe batsman threw his hard work away going for a reverse sweep and hitting straight to Rohit Sharma at point four overs before tea Rangana Herath 3 was the unbeaten batsman at the other endEarlier India kept calling the shots by reducing the hosts to 134 for 5 by lunch The hosts started the day at their overnight score of 67 for 3 With the ball stillrelatively new Ashwin completed his over from day four evening and was immediately taken off The pacers were deployed immediately with Yadav and Ishant beginning proceedings in earnest Ishant should have taken a wicket in his very first over of the morning when Mathews edged a delivery behind but off a no ball The Lankan skipper then denied any straight chance for the rest of the session as he went on to score a half century off 118 ballsPrior to that there were some moments of disappointment for the hosts as two of their main batsmen got out to poor shots on a day five pitch that was still easing out Kaushal Silva 27 was the first to in the third full over of the day Yadav continued his shortball tactics but aimed it better at the righthanded batsman this time who didnt find too much space to properly pull the delivery He simply lobbed a catch to Cheteshwar Pujara at short midwicket and the Indian made no mistake He had put on 53 runs for the fourth wicket with MathewsLahiru Thirimanne 12 came to the crease looking to make amends for a lean series He started full of intent to score runs and helped Lanka cross the 100mark in the 36th over after which Mathews reached his halfcentury But his problems began as in the very next over spin was reintroduced with MishraBoth spinners were deployed in tandem thereafter and Ashwin struck in his very first over of the new spell Thirimanne looked to play against the turn and only managed to lob a leading edge caught by KL Rahul at silly point This was the fourth time in six innings in this series that Ashwin dismissed the lefthanded batsman Perera and Mathews then batted out the little session of play before lunch But despite an easier pitch than on the past four days Lanka were still staring down the barrelOn day one Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to field first but only 15 overs were possible after persistent rains washed out the remaining dayiquests play On day two Pujara scored his seventh Test hundred to help India scored 312 runs in their first innings15 wickets fell on day three as Lanka were bowled out for 201 runs and conceded a 111run lead On day four India scored 274 runs in their second innings and took and overall lead of 385 runsLanka won the first Test in Galle by 63 runs and India came back with a 278run win at the P Sara Oval in the second Test