It was an unceremonious moment for India whom Sri Lanka finished off by an innings and 239 runs. Muralitharan took 11 wickets and Mendis, four wickets. VVS Lakshman scored the highest 56 runs. Muralitharan was adjudged 'Man of the Match'.

In the second turn, India scored just 138 runs. In the first innings they could pool only 223 runs. Only VVS Laxman shone on the pitch with his half century score. This match is the worst ever defeat of India against Sri Lanka.


This spin doctors, Muralitharan and fresher, Mendis put an iron challenge for the Indian who could not retaliate with any powerful performances. While India had to pack up at 223 runs in the first innings, they were all done with at 138 runs in the second innings at the Sinhalese Sports Complex in Colombo where the match was being played.

Muralitharan picked 11 wickets in the Test while his junior colleague spinner Mendis who took eight wickets to send India packing.


India began batting with their overnight score of 159 for six on the fourth day but lost the last four wickets for merely 64 runs in the first innings. Only Laxman could pull the highest run for the team with his 56. For his company Ishant Sharma was on the pitch who made 35 runs for the last wicket.


What had India staggering then? It was the spin that changed the routine affair of the match in the first innings as Muttiah Muralitharan swiped five wickets and budding Ajantha Mendis taking away four wickets.


Sri Lanka settled with giving India a follow-on situation that caused the further strains on their foreheads and subsequently the boastful batting line fell down. Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly could hardly play any trick.


Captain Muttiah Muralitharan kept his batsmen in order and went on claiming the wickets of V Sehwag (13), Gambhir (43), Tendulkar (12), Ganguly (4), Karthik (0) and Kumble in the second innings. Karthik was his 10^th prey to be devoured.


Muralititharan was adjudged as the ’Man of the Match’.


Mendis too claimed the wickets of VVS Laxman (21), Rahul Dravid (10), Zaheer Khan (3) and Harbhajan Singh (15).


Previously, Sri Lanka had elected to bat first and it was disrupted by rain. Lanka totalled 600 runs with Malinda Warnapura, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakratne Dilshan crossing four centuries and declared their innings.