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India looks set to beat Sri Lanka

Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble bagged two quick wickets yesterday as India looked set for an easy win in the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground.

Kumble, who claimed six wickets in the first innings, struck twice as Sri Lanka stuttered to 123-5 in their second innings at close on the fourth day after being set an improbable 436-run target by India.

Mahela Jayawardene (9) was the not-out batsman after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh added to Sri Lanka's misery by dismissing Thilan Samaraweera for a duck. With his wicket play was called off for the day.

Sri Lanka, who are still 313 runs adrift of their target, have a full day to play out on a slow pitch after India declared their second innings on 375-6 after gaining a 60-run first innings lead.

In their reply the visitors lost the early wicket of left-hander Avishka Gunawardene (nine), trapped leg-before by seamer Irfan Pathan.

After a brief fightback by skipper Marvan Atapattu (67) and Kumar Sangakkara (33), who added 79 for the second wicket, Sangakkara was dismissed by Ajit Agarkar as he edged one to wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni and Sri Lanka soon fell from 109-1 to 123-5.

Kumble accounted for Atapattu and night-watchman Malinga Bandara (zero) to stifle the visitors' hopes.

Atapattu struck 11 fours before being caught and bowled by Kumble and Bandara was trapped leg-before by the experienced spinner four deliveries later.

No side has ever successfully chased such a big score in the fourth innings of a Test. The record was 418 by the West Indies against Australia in 2003. There have been only two other instances of teams chasing more than 400 for a Test win.

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni slammed unbeaten half-centuries for India.

Yuvraj hit a compact 77 and Dhoni a brisk 51 in a 104-run unbroken stand for the seventh wicket that lasted just an hour.

Runs came briskly as the home side pushed for a win on a venue where they have won their last five Tests.

Yuvraj faced 168 balls during his impressive knock in which he hit 10 fours while wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni played 52 balls -- hitting five fours and two sixes, both off leg-spinner Bandara.

Dhoni, who got to his maiden fifty in his second Test with his second six, survived a chance on 28 when Dilhara Fernando dropped him at long-on off the same bowler.
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