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MOHALI, Oct 28 (Cricinfo): It took India just 56 overs to follow up the resounding 152-run victory at Nagpur with an even more emphatic demolition job in Mohali. Having skittled out Sri Lanka for 122, Sachin Tendulkar - who made the bowlers bleed with a thrilling 67 - and Virender Sehwag then made mincemeat of the bowling to give India a two-match cushion in the seven-game series.
Tendulkar came out with punishment on his mind, as he had at Nagpur, and Sri Lanka's hapless bowlers - let down once again by an abysmal batting display - had no answers. With Sehwag also pounding out the strokes in a 38-run cameo, Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa came in for a caning as Tendulkar appeared intent on making a mockery of the world rankings that have Sri Lanka at a lofty number two. Only Muttiah Muralitharan, who had a vociferous appeal for caught behind against Tendulkar turned down right at the end, scored any brownie points, but by then it was too little and far too late.
The damaging body blows had been dealt much earlier. A cursory look at the Sri Lankan card would suggest an ordeal against pace on a juiced-up strip in Brisbane or Perth, but the demons were on the outfield - 11 sky-blue-shirted ones - rather than the pitch as India produced their most committed display in the field since the 2003 World Cup to dismantle a line-up woefully short on inspiration and effort.
Irfan Pathan and Ajit Agarkar moved the ball around early on, and there was some wonderfully controlled seam bowling from Jai Prakash Yadav later, but India's success owed just as much to some truly wretched batting. Only Kumar Sangakkara, with a breezy 27, made any dent on the bowlers, but his dismissal to the worst shot of the innings started the slide. But for a 24-run partnership between Farveez Maharoof and Upul Chandana - the Supersub was called for, with Dilhara Fernando jettisoned - and some hit-and-giggle stuff from Murali at the end, it could have been far worse.
20.2 overs India 126 for 2 (Tendulkar 67*) beat Sri Lanka 122 (Pathan 4-37) by eight wickets
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