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October
30, 2000
Bangla2000 News Desk
-- Record studded day heralded Sri Lanka to win, what may turn out to
be, their most glorious victory in the history of one-day cricket.
Their skipper Jayasuria proved himself to be the ablest one among the
stalwarts of his team.
On the other hand
India, of Tendulkar (arguably the best batsman) and Ganguly, flunked.
Skipper Sanath
Jayasuriya smashed a career-best 189 as record-breaking Sri Lanka crushed
India by 245 runs Sunday to win the $100,000 Coca-Cola Cup cricket final at
Sharjah Stadium.
Jayasuriya's monumental innings -- the second highest knock in one-day
cricket -- powered Sri Lanka to 299 for five in 50 overs. The Indians were
then bowled out for 54 in 26.3 overs, their lowest score in limited over
cricket as left arm paceman Chaminda Vaas and off spinner Muttiah
Muralitharan ran through the innings in extraordinary fashion.
Sri Lanka finished the tournament unbeaten in all five matches. Vaas, the
most experienced fast bowler for Sri Lanka, ripped the heart of the Indian
batting by dismissing skipper Saurav Ganguly (3), ace Sachin Tendulkar (5),
rookie Yuvraj Singh (3) and Vinod Kambli (3) to send them reeling to 19 for
4 by the ninth over.
Ganguly was fooled by a slower ball to spoon a catch to Jayasuriya at mid
off while Tendulkar was caught and bowled by Vaas, giving the Lankans the
prize wicket they wanted most.
Vaas' seven-over spell snared him 7 for 10 and after fellow left-arm paceman
Nuwan Zoysa had sent back newcomer Hemang Badandi, India slipped to 30 for 5
by the 12th over.
Muralitharan, who raked in a world's best 7 for 30 against the same
opponents in Friday's league match, joined the killer act, taking the next
three wickets in a crafty spell. Muralitharan finished with 3 for 6 off six
overs while Vaas took 5 for 14 off 9.3 overs.
"I owe this victory and title to the team as they all played well,
especially Vaas and Zoysa, who bowled brilliantly," said Jayasuriya.
"This is my best one-day knock and no, I wasn't interested in the world
record score."
Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar holds the world record score in one-day cricket
with his 194 against India.
Indian captain Saurav Ganguly acknowledged Jayasuriya's "outstanding
knock."
"But we were let down by our batting," Ganguly said. "We have
no excuses for that. I just want to forget this match."
India's total was the third-lowest in one-day cricket, behind Pakistan's 43
against West Indies at Cape Town and Canada's 45 against England at Old
Trafford. The margin of defeat, meanwhile, was the biggest ever beating the
232-run victory by Pakistan over Bangladesh at this year's Asia Cup.
Coca-Cola
Cup final : Scorecard
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