India, who followed on 244 runs behind, were bowled out for 338 in their second innings, leaving Sri Lanka a modest target of 95 runs in the opening match of the three-Test series. The hosts cruised home without losing a wicket as Tharanga Paranavitana followed his first-innings century with 23 and Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed 68 off just 47 balls.
Dilshan signalled the emphatic win by lofting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh over long-on for six.
Muralitharan claimed five for 63 in the first innings of his final appearance and followed it up with three for 128 in the second to set up the hosts’ victory. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse flew in from the capital, Colombo, to briefly watch the match and presented Muralitharan with a memento during the lunch break.
Fireworks went off and the packed stands stood up to greet Sri Lanka’s favourite cricketing son when the last wicket fell as teammates rushed to congratulate Muralitharan.
The spinner needed 23 overs to move from 799 to 800 following a doughty rearguard action by India, whose last three wickets added 141 runs after being 197 for seven at one stage.
Venkatsai Laxman led the fightback with a defiant 69, adding 49 for the eighth wicket with debutant Abhimanyu Mithun and 68 for the ninth with Ishant Sharma.
Laxman was run out by a direct throw from Angelo Mathews, but Sharma hung on for 106 deliveries to hit a career-best 31 not out.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2010.
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