India’s left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan claimed his first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals to help defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the third match of their series on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old ripped through the top order to restrict the visitors to 230-8 after they had won the toss and elected to bat.
India skipper Rahul Dravid became the sixth batsman to score 10 000 one-day runs as he notched up his 77th fifty to guide his team past the target and level the series 1-1. The hosts made 233-5 in 46.3 overs.
Zaheer dismissed openers Sanath Jayasuriya (two), Upul Tharanga (one) and the in-form Kumar Sangakkara for a duck before claiming the wickets of Farveez Maharoof (14) and Malinga Bandara (two) to finish with 5-42.
However, a defiant half century by left-hander Russel Arnold (66 not out) helped Sri Lanka pass the 200-mark after skipper Mahela Jayawardene (30) and Marvan Atapattu (42) had steadied the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 76.
Dravid made 66 with four fours and a six and shared in an entertaining 133-run stand off 139 balls for the fifth wicket with the big-hitting Mahendra Dhoni, who cracked an undefeated 67 to help the home side recover from 94-4.
The skipper was run out with four runs remaining for victory when Dhoni’s straight drive hit leg-spinner Malinga Bandara’s hands and crashed onto the stumps.
The final match will be played in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The opening contest in Kolkota was abandoned due to rain while the visitors won the second match at Rajkot by five runs. — Reuters