India look to maintain momentum

On a roll after six consecutive ODI wins, India will look to maintain the winning streak against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Even without explosive opener Virender Sehwag, who was nursing a lower back injury, the Indians were hardly pushed as they beat the Lankans by six wickets in the opening match on a tricky Dambulla pitch.

The much-touted Murali-Mendis combine failed to work for the Lankans, forcing skipper Mahela Jayawardene to admit that the duo's magic was somewhat on the wane.

Remember the horror

However, the Indians would do well to remember the humiliation they were subjected to when the two teams squared up the last time around at the R Premadasa stadium.

Chasing a modest 227, the Indians were sent packing for 103 in under 27 overs with Mendis wrecking the visiting line-up with a four-wicket haul.

For the hosts, ageing warhorse Jayasuriya continues to be in good form but middle-order mainstay Kumar Sangakkara's inconsistent run with the bat has become a major concern.

Jayawardene, himself battling a batting slump, however, insists that one loss is not reason enough to press the panic button and his team-mates would come back hard.

"We will continue to play we have played"

"The way we have been playing of late has changed and we will continue with that. I give credit to our guys because it was not an easy wicket but it probably slowed down later on and so was good to score runs," he said.

Without a fifty in his last 13 one-day internationals, Jayawardene's return to form would be a prerequisite for Sri Lanka's prospects of squaring the series in Saturday's day-nighter.

The other major difference between the two teams in Dambulla was the runs extracted from the power-plays. While the Indians milked 40, the Sri Lankans could muster only 28 and that too for the loss of two wickets.

The Lankan batting is yet to fire

The Sri Lankan top order has not performed to expectations and opening partnerships have not been consistent.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis were a shadow of their intimidating past when they bamboozled batsmen. At Dambulla, they conceded almost hundred runs for a solitary scalp.