Sri Lanka cruises to eight-wicket ODI win
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Sri Lanka has cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over India in the first one-day international in Dambulla.
Sri Lanka spinners Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralidaran grabbed three wickets each to help dismiss India for 146 in 46 overs after the visitors had won the toss.
Mendis took 3 for 21 and senior bowling partner Muralidaran 3 for 37.
India, missing in-form opening batsman Virender Sehwag due to injury, struggled from the start with Yuvraj Singh the top-scorer with just 23.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene guided his team to their modest victory target with 15.1 overs to spare, scoring 61 from 82 balls with seven boundaries.
Jayawardene shared an unbroken 102 run third-wicket partnership with Chamara Kapugedera, who scored 45 from 72 balls with four boundaries.
The pair steadied the innings after pace bowler Munaf Patel struck two early blows, reducing Sri Lanka to 2 for 45.
-Reuters
