The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Galle

Offspinner Harbhajan Singh bagged a 10-wicket match haul Sunday as India claimed the last five Sri Lanka wickets for just six runs to win the second test and square the series.

After a humiliating innings defeat in the series opener, India salvaged its reputation with a strong performance with the ball and will go into Friday's deciding test in Colombo with momentum.

Chasing a target of 307 runs to win in the second innings, Sri Lanka lost their way early, losing four top-order wickets for 37 runs on the fourth day.

Opener Virender Sehwag who hammered an unbeaten 201 and followed it up with a 50 in the second innings was named man of the match.

"We have done that in the past," India's captain Anil Kumble said of his team's fightback.

"This team has been through ups and downs and it has a fair amount of experience and quality so there was absolutely no doubt that we'll regroup and come back hard," he said.

"The way we have come back after four days is really amazing I am really proud of the fact that we have this group of players who have shown so much resilience not just once but time and time again."

A 76-run partnership between Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan looked to resurrect the innings as they went for tea at 109-4, but Singh struck soon after tea when he had Dilshan (38) lbw, triggering a precipitous collapse by the tail.

Thilan Samaraweera's unbeaten 67 was the only highlight for the hosts who capitulated meekly against some aggressive Indian bowling.

Samaraweera faced 126 balls and hit eight boundaries as he watched wickets tumble at the other end.

"Getting three wickets in (the first) 40 minutes was critical and that pushed Sri Lanka totally on the back foot," Kumble said.

India, which had a 37-run lead on first innings, was bowled out for 269 in its second innings in Sunday's opening session, giving Sri Lanka an achievable chase.

However India immediately savaged the top order, quickly reducing Sri Lanka to 10-3.

Ishant Sharma found the edge of Malinda Warnapura's bat, with V.V.S. Laxman snapping up the catch to dismiss the opener for a duck, with the score on 4.

Zaheer Khan nailed the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara (1) in the next over, also caught by Laxman, before captain Mahela Jayawardene (5) slashed at Sharma and was taken by Rahul Dravid at cover-point.

Resuming after lunch at 24-3, Sri Lanka soon lost an out-of-form Michael Vandort (10) trapped lbw by Singh.

After Dilshan's departure early in the final session, Sri Lanka could not find a tailender who was able to hang in and support Samaraweera.

"It was important that we kept wickets in hand to chase the runs down, which we didn't do," Jayawardene told reporters.

"10-3 wasn't ideal that's where we probably lost the game." "It was a disappointing test match but it was not a bad one we played good cricket for three days and just lost it in the last two sessions of the fourth day.

"We have to figure out a way to control situations a bit better, especially under pressure and see whether we can come out of it." Singh finished with 4-51 for the innings to record his fifth ten-wicket match haul.

That matched the effort of young Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis, who also claimed 10 match wickets in only his second test.