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SK Flashback: Zaheer Khan rips through the Sri Lankan batting line-up in Margao

Zaheer Khan was at his awe-inspiring best on the day

It was the month of February in 2007 when Sri Lanka came to India for a short tour of 4 one day internationals. A star-studded Sri Lankan line-up that had the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu was sure to give Team India a tough time in the series. The first match ended in a no-result in Kolkata, due to rain, and in the second match at Rajkot, Sri Lanka had edged India by 5 runs courtesy a Sangakkara hundred to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

The scene had now shifted to Margao in Goa for the third match on Valentine’s day; 14th February. 

Zaheer knocks two in an over to rock the Lankans early

After Sri Lanka’s captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat first on a sluggish pitch, Zaheer Khan roared in right from the first over of the innings. After conceding just two runs in his first over, he wrecked havoc in the second.

He first had the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya caught brilliantly by Saurav Ganguly and then caught Upul Tharanga plumb in front of the stumps off his fourth delivery to reduce the visitors to 5 for 2.

Ajit Agarkar backed up Zaheer by bowling a tight maiden over next up. Zaheer then came back for his third over to knock Kumar Sangakkara’s stumps over and reduce the Lankans to 6 for 3!

Captain Rahul Dravid kept Zaheer on in search of more wickets but he didn’t pick up any more in the first spell, ending with 3 for 31 off 7 overs.

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