Opener Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli slammed sparkling centuries as India posted an imposing 304 for three in their opening Asia Cup cricket match against Sri Lanka in Mirpur on Tuesday.
Gambhir (100), who struggled in Australia against rising deliveries on pacy tracks in the Test series, seemed comfortable in the familiar sub-continental environs as he and the in-form Kohli (108) batted together for 37 overs.
The duo added 205 runs for the second wicket at a brisk pace of more than five an over to steer the Indian innings after the early fall of Sachin Tendulkar. Both the batsmen, in fact, perished in the 43rd over, dismissed by Farveez Mahroof in the space of just one delivery.
Interestingly, both the batsmen completed their tenth ODI hundreds.
It was not a very good start to the proceedings for India as Tendulkar (6) continued his frustrating quest for a 100th international century which has extended for more than a year now.
The veteran right-hander was dismissed off a Suranga Lakmal full toss in the sixth over of the innings after facing 19 deliveries.
Tendulkar pushed it low to short extra cover where Mahela Jayawardene caught him comfortably.
But the Indian felt that it was a no ball as it had gone above the waist. The on-field officials referred the matter to the third umpire, who found it to be a legitimate delivery after going through the TV replays.
But his dismissal hardly affected the Indian innings which accelerated after Gambhir was joined by Kohli, the most successful Indian batsman — the only one to get a hundred –in what was a disastrous tour of Australia.
–Agencies