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India set 257 runs to win final Sri Lanka Test

India were set a target of 257 runs to win the third and final Test and draw the series 1-1 after Sri Lanka were bowled out for 267 in their second innings.

Thilan Samaraweera made 83 and Ajantha Mendis hit 78 before the hosts were all out an hour after tea on the fourth day at the P. Sara Oval.

India’s Virender Sehwag starred with the bat and ball to put Sri Lanka under pressure on the third day of the third and final cricket Test.

Sehwag struck 109 to guide India to 436 in the first innings that gave the visitors a lead of 11 runs. Sehwag then took two early wickets to leave the hosts reeling at 45 for two in their second innings. Sri Lanka were all out for 425 in the first innings.

Both Sri Lankan openers Tharanga Paranavitana (16) and dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan (13) perished to Sehwag.

Sri Lanka lead by 34 runs with eight wickets in hand. Kumar Sangakkara (12) and night-watchman Suraj Randiv, yet to open his account, batted the last few overs before stumps on a track which is showing sharp turn and favouring spinners.

Paranavitana edged Sehwag to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni while Dilshan was dismissed as Murali Vijay snared a catch.

The hosts have a 1-0 series lead after a 10-wicket win in the first Test.

Resuming at the overnight score of 180 for two, India lost Sachin Tendulkar (41) and Sehwag soon but came back strongly with a 105-run stand between V.V.S. Laxman (56) and Suresh Raina (62).

India suffered a huge blow in the first over when Tendulkar edged fast bowler Lasith Malinga to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene off Lasith Malinga for 41.

Sehwag was well set for a big score but lost concentration and holed out to Welegedara off Suraj Randiv at mid-off. Sehwag knock’s came off 105 balls and it was studded with 19 fours.

Both Laxman and Raina fell to Ajantha Mendis.

Lasith Malinga then removed Dhoni for 15 as he went to pull a short delivery and gave a catch to Mahela Jayawardene.

Off-spinner Randiv then took the last three wickets to finish with career-best figures of 4-80.

Randiv broke the 64-run eighth-wicket partnership between Abhimanyu Mithun (46) and Amit Mishra (40), and followed up with the wicket of Ishant Sharma for just eight.