India edge Sri Lanka in thrilling one-dayer in Rajkot

First one-day international, Rajkot:
India 414-7 beat Sri Lanka 411-8 by three runs
Match scorecard

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Sehwag scored 146 off just 102 deliveries

India beat Sri Lanka by three runs in a sensational first one-day international which saw the second-highest aggregate of runs scored in a limited overs game.

The teams hit a total of 825 runs, with Virender Sehwag smashing six sixes and 17 boundaries in his 146 as India posted an imposing 414-7.

Tillakratne Dilshan starred for the tourists with a quickfire 160 while Kumar Sangakkara added 90 off 43.

But three late run outs cost Sri Lanka as they were just short on 411-8.

South Africa hold the record for the highest successful run chase, scoring 438-9 in reply to Australia's 434-4 in Johannesburg in March 2006 - the 872 runs scored is also the highest aggregate score.

To win the game, Sri Lanka would have needed to record the second highest run chase after India cut loose and scored at over eight runs an over.

Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar accumulated just 19 runs off the opening five overs, before the former began his furious assault on the Sri Lankan bowlers, dispatching left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara to the boundary three times in his third over.

Tendulkar played a more circumspect innings to bring up his 92nd one-day half century and had scored a run-a-ball 69 when he was bowled by Dilharo Fernando with the score on 153.

Sehwag continued to flay the tourists' attack and raced to his 12th one-day century in just 66 deliveries with consecutive boundaries off Angelo Matthews.

At the other end Mahendra Singh Dhoni, playing a typically aggressive innings, stormed to 50 off 34 balls on his way to 72, but the duo fell within four balls of each other and India slipped from 309-1 to 352-6.

606: DEBATE Thank you to both teams for this treat. The result is irrelevant. All 22 players, please take a bow Vivi232

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja produced some late fireworks to score 27 and 30 not out respectively and lift India above 400.

Dilshan and Upul Tharanga set about the chase with some equally lusty blows, although India missed the chance to remove Tharanga early on when Kohli dropped a simple catch at short point.

It proved a costly miss as the pair put on 188 for the first wicket, with Dilshan scoring the lion's share - his half century came up in 38 balls as Sri Lanka kept pace with the run-rate, scoring 81 off the opening 10 overs.

Jadeja was then hit for six, four, four as Dilshan raced to his century off 73 balls.

Tharanga was stumped by Dhoni off the part-time bowling of Suresh Raina for 67, but that only brought Sangakkara to the crease and he blazed five sixes and 10 boundaries to keep Sri Lanka ahead of the required run-rate.

But, like India, he and Dilshan departed in quick succession, either side of Sanath Jayasuriya, to check their progress.

Mahela Jayawardene was needlessly run out but Thilina Kandamby (24) and Mathews put the chase back on track with a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket to take Sri Lanka to 345-6.

But Kandamby and Thilan Samaraweera were involved in suicidal run outs as the pressure mounted, leaving Sri Lanka needing 11 off the final over.

Dilshan's innings was equally brilliant - but ultimately all in vain

Ashish Nehra bowled a full straight line, allowing just five runs off the first three deliveries and when Matthews chipped to Tendulkar at mid-wicket with three balls remaining, the chase was all-but over.

"It is actually worse when you come this close and lose, rather than lose easily," said dejected Sri Lanka skipper Sangakkara.

"Most of the time you can roll over and die chasing over 400, but we almost made it.

"After 35 overs, we should have batted smartly. India held their nerve better than us. At the end of the day, you have to acknowledge that India played better than us - slightly."

Indian captain Dhoni said: "It's quite tough to be cool when you score 400 and almost lose.

"We were not really up to the mark in the first 35 overs. But the way we bowled and fielded after that was awesome."