An explosive start by the; Sri Lankan openers — Jayasurya and Kaluwitharana — helped Sri Lanka, the dark horse of the meet, to inflict a six-wicket defeat on favourites India In a high-scoring encounter yesterday.

The wicket at Firozeshah Kotla. a batsmen's paradise, more than worth the crowd expectation by the high class batting from both the teams. Inviting India to bat first, the Lankan skipper Arjuna Rana tunga revelled the simple fact that in recent times Sri Lanka, with a hosts of exciting batsmen, can chase anything set by their opponents.

After a relatively slow start. India, led by the great little master Sachin Tendulkar, skipper Azharuddin and Manjre-kar. set a big target of 272.

Tendulkar, who is having a fabulous time ip this World Cup. once again unearthed his genius blasting a swashbuckling almost run-a-ball 137. his second century in the competition. Sachin's Innings can easily be termed as one of the best'Jo the annuals of instant cricket. Captain Azhar (72 n.o.) and Sachin's aggressive 175-run partnership for the third wicket was the main feature in the Indian innings.

The last eleven overs of their innings produced 105 runs mainly because of Sachin's electrifying batting.

Among Wie Sri Lankan bowlers. Vaas and offie Murali-tharana earned seme respect from the two.

In their run chase, the Sri Lankan frontline batsmen did exactly what their manager and former national captain Dulip Mendis had predicted about their pyrotechnics during the first fifteen overs — scoring more than 100 runs

Kaluwitharana and Jayasurya, who fired their all four cyclinders. tored apart the Indian bowling throwing anything and everything out of the ground with vindication The pair put up 53 in just five overs before Kalu fell to a brilliant catch by Kumble scoring 26 of 16 balls.

At one for i 17 in the 15th over and with man-of-the-match Jayasurya going great guns, the stage was well set for the incoming Lankan batsmen to have a great gp.

To stop the, onslaught, cap-

lain Azhar employed everything possible to contsin the run-hungry Srl Lankans and succeeded in bringing India back ini? the game, with hit trump card Kumble who picked up the wickets of dangerman Aravlnda De Silva and Jayasurya in quick succession after Gurusinha was brilliantly run out by Prasad.

At four for 131 in the 23rd over, the match was evenly poised. But captain Ranatunga (46 n.o.) and crisis msster Tillekaratne (70 n.o.) batted very sensibly picking up ones and twos and occational boundaries. They thoroughly dominated the proceedings with a true sense of profes slonal batting and coasted their side home with an unbroken partnership of 131. A great victory indeed.

However, going through the X-ray of the high voltage drama . 1 must blame the Indian for using only one spinner on a slow turning wicket. ’

Azhar, however, realised and had to call upon his part timer Sachin, who did well, and even asked new-ball bowler Prabhakar to bowl off-spin. But it was too late for Indian.

And for Prabhakar, who conceded 33 runs in his first two overs and punished for another 14 after switching to off-spin. it will be a living nightmare.

On the otherhand. the emergence of Kaluwitharana and Jayasurya as real pinch-hitter, only proved that how much strong they are at this moment and no score can make them bothered about to chase.

At last I must say that it was a fabulous cricketing day at -Kotla and the real run for the imhicv.