Dambulla: Indian opener Virender Sehwag said that Sri Lankan off-spinner Suraj Randiv, who denied him a hundred in Monday's ODI tri-series match by deliberately bowling a no ball, has apologised for his conduct.
However, it did not count because the no ball amounted to India's winning run leaving Sehwag on an unbeaten 99.
Randiv's antics were criticised by Sehwag in the post match press conference but the issue seems to be cooling off after the Lankan bowler offered apologies.
"Randiv came to my room and apologised," Sehwag wrote on his Twitter page.
India comprehensively won last night's match by six wickets but the conduct of the Sri Lankan team upset the visitors' camp.
Minutes after the game, a livid Sehwag told reporters that Sri Lanka had used such tactics earlier also, pointing out that they had left Sachin Tendulkar stranded at 99 with a similar strategy in a match in Cuttack.
Sri Lankan Cricket, on its part, has already conveyed its apologies for the incident to the Indians and has even promised action after getting the team manager's report on the matter.
Sehwag was left stranded on 99 when Randiv bowled a no ball and the Indian batsman could not complete his century despite hitting a six during a tri-series match here. He said he was sure the no-ball was bowled to deny him the century.
"Why should I look at the video, it was done deliberately. Randiv has not bowled no-balls in one-dayers also. When I was in 99 why was a no-ball bowled. The no-ball was a foot long from the crease. I don't know whether the captain was consulted or someone else was consulted," he said.
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India needed just five runs to chase down the 171-run target and Sehwag just one run to get his hundred when Lankan spinner Suraj Randiv came in to bowl 35th over of the Indian innings. The off-spinner gave four byes in the first ball, which kept a little low, bowled two dot balls, and then bowled a big no-ball, which Sehwag smashed out of ground.Since it was a no-ball, no runs were added to Sehwag's score and he remained not out on 99. It looked like a deliberate no-ball since Randiv's back foot was where bowlers normally have their front foot while bowling.
Sehwag was the hero of Indian chase as he batted through the innings in his terrific 99-run knock, which was a mix of control and aggression. Sehwag's knock was a responsible one as it came in a tricky situation and under challenging circumstances. India's top-order had collapsed at the beginning and Suresh Rania (21) also threw his wicket after getting his eye in but Sehwag held the Indian innings together and in company of M S Dhoni (23) steered his side to win.
Earlier, Indian pacers and spinners exploited the bowling friendly conditions alike to bundle out hosts Sri Lanka for a meagre 170 in their second cricket tri-series ODI here today.
They put up a 39-run stand, highest of Lankan innings, for the eighth wicket to help Sri Lanka go past the 150-mark. Tillakaratane Dilshan (45) was the only top-order batsman who showed stomach for fight but fell while going for an extravagant shot when situation demanded patience.
The spinners -- Pragyan Ojha (3/36) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) -- joined the party and broke the back of the Lankan innings with lethal blows.
In an ominous start for home side, Opener Tharanga and his teammates were shell shocked when a swinging first ball of the match by Praveen Kumar uprooted the stumps.
The heavy conditions were ideal for bowling and Indian pacers rose to the occasion.
They never recovered from the early shocks and Ojha and Jadeja kept the pressure by taking wickets.Dilshan was batting beautifully from the other end but lost patience and top-edged to Rohit Sharma off Ojha.
Jadeja struck twice by removing Chamara Kapugedara and Angelo Mathews to puncture all Lankan hopes.
