Nail-biting match

Nobody ever thought that the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka would be so thrilling. It would have sounded incredible if someone even suggested that India would struggle to win the match after piling up a mammoth total of 414 runs.

The match brought back memories of the third ODI match between Australia and South Africa at the New Wanderers Stadium in 2006. South Africa chased a massive total of 434 runs scored by Australia and won the match with one ball to spare.
They rewrote several records in the process.

The first ODI at Rajkot was also special in the sense that both the teams together scored more than 800 runs in a single ODI.

But this time unlike the Wanderers match, the team batting second fell short by three runs. Sri Lankan team displayed great team spirit. They did not give up hope even though the Indian team was attacking their bowlers relentlessly.

The Sri Lankan team also batted handsomely to give some jitters to Indian supporters. However, the fall of three quick wickets -- Jayasurya, Dilshan and Jaywardene -- proved to be the turning point of the game.

The Sri Lankan tail-enders failed to make up for the losses and surrendered meekly unable cope with the mounting required run rate.

The match result surprised even some of the most experienced commentators who were expecting the Sri Lankan team to give up without a fight.
Throughout the match, the visitors had a fair chance of clinching it.

The batting performances of Virendra Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni confirmed that the Indian batting lineup has several worldbeaters.
It is now up to Indian bowlers to show their mettle in the rest of the matches versus the ever resilient Sri Lanka cricket team.