Kohli’s knock help india to beat Sri Lanka by 21 runs

Hambantota: Virat Kohli’s century knock of 106 and Virender Sehwag’s stable 96 has helped India to win by 21 runs in the first ODI against the hosts Sri Lanka.
Chasing a target of 315 runs to win, Sri Lanka finished with 293 for 9 with Kumar Sangakkara leading the chase with a vital but slow 133 off 151 balls. Thisara Perera (44) tried to get Sri Lanka home with some lusty blows at the fag end of the innings but the hosts fell short by 21 runs.
Earlier, Kohli (106) and opener Sehwag, who were dropped early in their innings, made the most of the chances as they added 173 for the second wicket to help their team set a stiff target.
India lost opener Gautam Gambhir (three) in the third over after electing to bat in the day-night match but Sehwag and Kohli propped up the innings with their big stand.
Kohli hit nine fours in a 113-ball knock for his 12th one-day hundred, and the fourth in the last five matches. He fell in the 40th over, caught by substitute fielder Sachithra Senanayake in the covers off Thisara Perera.
Sehwag, who returned to the one-day squad after missing the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March due to an injury, looked set to complete his 16th one-day hundred before he was run out. He hit 10 fours in his 97-ball knock.
Suresh Raina smashed a 45-ball 50 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made 35 off 29 deliveries as India scored 86 in the last 10 overs.
Sri Lankan seamer Perera finished with three wickets, including those of Raina and Dhoni off successive balls, while pacemen Nuwan Kulasekara and Angelo Mathews each bagged one wicket.