India v Sri Lanka 2014, 1st ODI: Kohli and Co start off with a massive victory

Indian players celebrating the fall of a wicket

Cuttack, Nov 2 (IANS) Twin centuries by openers Ajinkya Rahane (111) and Shikhar Dhawan (113) helped India register a mammoth 169-run win in the first of the five One-Day Internationals (ODI) against Sri Lanka at the Barabati Stadium here on Sunday.

After being put in to bat, the openers posted a 231-run partnership to help India reach a huge total of 363/5 in 50 overs; in reply, Sri Lanka surrendered at 194 all out in 39.2 overs.

During the Indian innings, Suresh Raina (52), Virat Kohli (22) and Ambati Rayudu (27) also contributed to the total after the strong foundation laid by Rahane and Dhawan.

Left-hander Dhawan milked 14 boundaries and three sixes to score his sixth century before he chopped a ball from Ashan Priyaranjan on to his stumps when the scorecard read 231/1 in 35 overs.

Three overs later, Rahane followed him to the pavilion after collecting 13 fours and two sixes, which helped him score his second century.

The 25-year-old right-hander from Mumbai stepped out to hit a full toss bowled by offie Suraj Randiv and the ball went straight into the hands of long-off fielder Mahela Jayawardene. But the damage had already been done and later Raina, Kohli and Rayudu capitalised on the good start.

Raina, who was playing his 200th ODI, took only 34 deliveries to reach his 32nd fifty and forged useful partnerships with Kohli and Rayudu to help India set a big target.

For Sri Lanka, off-spinner Suraj Randiv picked up three wickets for 78 runs.

In the pursuit of 364, Sri Lanka failed to get it going from the start and never got a partnership, which was necessary to chase the total. Experienced opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (18) slashed an outswinger from Umesh Yadav but ended up edging it to the hands of wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Veteran Kumar Sangakkara (13) also lost his wicket by edging an Ishant Sharma delivery, to leave the team in trouble with the scorecard reading 61/2 in 13.2 overs.

The responsibility then fell on opener Upul Tharanga and veteran Jayawardene. But the left-handed Tharanga, who was playing well for his 28, lost his wicket while trying to hit against the turn of a Ravichandran Ashwin ball, which landed in the hands of Shikhar Dhawan. Next man in Seekkuge Prasanna (5) offered a simple catch to Rahane at backward point off spinner Axar Patel.

Veteran batsman Jayawardene did his best and collected six boundaries and one six before he was caught by skipper Kohli off Axar, leaving the team in more than a spot of bother with the score at 130/5 in 25.1 overs. Visiting skipper Angelo Mathews (23) felt the pressure and offered a catch to Axar off a Suresh Raina delivery.

Later Ishant removed Priyaranjan (12), Randiv (5) and Dhammika Prasad (0) early to completely turn the match in India's favour.

Despite the brief resistance from all-rounder Thisara Perera, whose big-hitting gave him 29 runs, Ishant's line and length proved too hot to handle for Sri Lankan tail-enders. Perera's quick fire ended when his big heave off a Yadav ball, was caught on the long-on boundary by Ishant.

Scorecard

India:

Ajinkya Rahane c Jayawardene b Randiv 111

Shikhar Dhawan b Priyanjan 113

Suresh Raina lbw b Randiv 52

Virat Kohli c Perera b Randiv 22

Ambati Rayudu c Perera b Gamage 27

Wriddhiman Saha not out 10

Axar Patel not out 14

Extras (lb 5, w 7, nb 2) 14

Total (five wickets in 50 overs) 363

Fall of wickets: 1-231 (Dhawan, 34.6 overs), 2-247 (Rahane, 37.5), 3-299 (Raina, 43.3), 4-314 (Kohli, 45.6), 5-344 (Rayudu, 48.5)

Bowling:

Dhammika Prasad 9-0-60-0

Lahiru Gamage 9-1-59-1

Angelo Mathews 4-0-33-0

Thisara Perera 7-0-51-0

Suraj Randiv 10-0-78-3

Seekkuge Prasanna 6-0-47-0

Tillakaratne Dilshan 3-0-19-0

Anshan Priyanjan 2-0-11-1

Sri Lanka:

Upul Tharanga c Dhawan b Ashwin 28

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Saha b Yadav 18

Kumar Sangakkara c Saha b Sharma 13

Mahela Jayawardene c Kohli b Patel 43

Seekkuge Prasanna c Rahane b Patel 5

Angelow Mathews c Patel b Raina 23

Anshan Priyanjan c Saha b Sharma 12

Thisara Perera c Sharma b Yadav 29

Suraj Randiv b Sharma 5

Dhammika Prasad c Saha b Sharma 0

Lahiru Gamage not out 0

Extras (lb 4, w 13, nb 1) 18

Total (all out in 39.2 overs) 194

Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Dilshan, 8.5 overs), 2-61 (Sangakkara, 13.2), 3-84 (Tharanga, 16.2), 4-109 (Prasanna, 21.1), 5-130 (Jayawardene, 25.1), 6-144 (Mathews, 30.1), 7-167 (Priyanjan, 33.2), 8-175 (Randiv, 35.2), 9-175 (Prasad, 35.6), 10-194 (Perera, 39.2)

Bowling:

Umesh Yadav 6.2-2-24-2

Varun Aaron 4.1-0-26-0

Ishant Sharma 8-1-34-4

Virat Kohli 0.5-0-6-0

Ravichandran Ashwin 9-0-52-1

Axar Patel 6-0-24-2

Suresh Raina 5-0-24-1

Match details:

Toss: Sri Lanka chose to field

ODI debut: Lahiru Gamage (Sri Lanka)

Umpires: Vineet Kulkarni (India) and Bruce Oxenford (Australia)

TV umpire: Chettithody Shamshuddin (India)

Match referee: David Boon (Australia)

Reserve umpire: Paschim Pathak (India)