Dangerous Kotla pitch forces abandonment of fifth ODI
The inconsequential fifth and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi was abandoned because of unfit pitch conditions on December 27. At the time play was called off, the visitors were 83 for 5 in 23.3 overs. The series had already been won by India when they took an unbeatable lead of 3-1 by winning the fourth ODI of the five-match series.
Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka started disastrously losing opener Upul Tharanga in the very first ball of the match to a beauty from Zaheer Khan. Soon afterwards, the pitch began to behave dangerously with some deliveries getting low and some bouncing much more than normal. Both Tilakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya got nasty hits because of the uneven bounce. Zaheer dismissed Dilshan also when he edged an out-swinger to be caught behind. Jayasuriya scored before being trapped in front of the stumps by Harbhajan Singh. Debutant Sudeep Tyagi got his maiden ODI victim in the form of Kumar Sangakkara. Play was abandoned when a length delivery from Tyagi cleared MS Dhoni behind the stumps. Zaheer was the most successful bowler claiming 2 for 31.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 83 for 5 in 23.3 overs (Jayasuriya 31; Zaheer 2/31). Match abandoned.
