Indian Oil Cup 2005
Encyclopedia
The Indian Oil Cup 2005 was a three-team cricket
tournament which took place in Sri Lanka
in July and August 2005, between the hosts Sri Lanka
, India
and West Indies. Sri Lanka were second in the ICC ODI Championship
before this tournament, and fulfilled their position as favourites with an 18-run victory over India in the final. Their last ODI tournament defeat at home was a 2-3 series loss to Australia
, in February 2004. India
, meanwhile, continued on their disappointing run, as that side has now only won one tournament since March 2004 - a 2-1 defeat of Bangladesh
, which could be seen as a disappointment as well, as the Bangladeshis had not won an ODI against a full member of the ICC, excepting Zimbabwe, since 1999. They're seventh in the ODI tables, one place ahead of the West Indies, who were in the middle of a contract dispute - meaning that they were not fielding their strongest side. However, there were a number of positive performances - the bowlers more often than not impressed, and Denesh Ramdin
showed himself as a wicketkeeper for the future. However, a 7-run loss in the final match against India saw them knocked out of the final. Sri Lanka only lost one match in the tournament, a pointless fixture from their point of view against West Indies.
, meaning that each side played four matches, for a total of six matches being played. A win was worth five points, and a loss zero - however, if the winning team had a run rate (i.e. runs hit per over) higher than 1.25 times that of the opponent, a bonus point was awarded to the winning side, if not it went to the losing side. In the event of a tie or a no-result, each side was awarded three points. The top two teams on points went through to the one-match final.
survived a scare in a low-scoring, see-sawing ODI in Dambulla
. Rahul Dravid
, India's
captain, won the toss and elected to bat, and after Virender Sehwag
had taken three fours off the Sri Lankan opening bowlers Farveez Maharoof
and Dilhara Lokuhettige
, things looked up, as India had made 17 off the first two overs. However, Sehwag was bowled by Maharoof with the thirteenth ball of the day, Mahendra Singh Dhoni
soon followed to the pavilion, and suddenly it was up to Rahul Dravid
and Yuvraj Singh
to rebuild, the score 22 for 2. Yuvraj and Dravid played cautiously, yet Yuvraj still managed to give away his wicket, pulling to substitute fielder Upul Tharanga
at mid-on.
More wickets followed - 18-year-old Suresh Raina trapped lbw facing his first ball in senior international cricket by Muttiah Muralitharan
's doosra - as India crumbled to 64 for 5. Dravid, however, played a very reliable knock, and together with another debutant, Yalaka Venugopal Rao he added 58 in thirteen overs. However, it came to an end too early to help India significantly in the late overs, leg-spinner Upul Chandana
sneaking a ball past his bat and pads and having him bowled for 54, and India were staring at a very low score - 122 for 6 after nearly 33 overs.
Harbhajan Singh
and Zaheer Khan
both added 20, however, which coupled with Irfan Pathan
's slow but steady 21 lifted India to a somewhat competitive 205 for 9. The only downside for Sri Lanka was that their opener Sanath Jayasuriya
had torn his shoulder, and looked unlikely to have a bat. Therefore, Kumar Sangakkara
joined Marvan Atapattu
as openers for Sri Lanka - the pair added 19 off 26 balls, before Irfan Pathan
dug him out with a good inswinger.
India took wickets regularly, but by the end of the 25th over Sri Lanka were 99 for 3, and well on the way to chasing 206 - without even needing Jayasuriya. Or so it seemed. But Harbhajan's
off-breaks two players to miss their shots, and suddenly the score was 112 for 5 - with an injured Sanath Jayasuriya
and debutant Dilhara
at the crease. However, Jayasuriya battled on bravely - some might say foolishly - and made an unbeaten 43 to guide Sri Lanka to the target with ten balls to spare, well helped by Farveez Maharoof
, who made 23 from number 9 including four fours hit in front of square and a number of nervy shots that missed the bat.
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bounced back as expected against the West Indies, who could only take Narsingh Deonarine
's good form as some kind of positive event from this game. Having only put on the solitary run from eight deliveries, Runako Morton
was lbw to Irfan Pathan
, and when Sylvester Joseph
and Xavier Marshall
followed in quick succession, West Indies were struggling on 32 for 3, Marshall having hit 26 of the runs.
However, Deonarine
- who had struggled to get off the mark - and Shivnarine Chanderpaul
survived for 17 overs, making only 52 before Raina took his first international wicket as Chanderpaul missed a straight delivery. Ricardo Powell
followed shortly afterwards, and despite some slogging from Dwayne Smith
, who made 20 off 7 balls including two sixes, and Tino Best
, who made 24, West Indies crumbled to 178 all out as Ashish Nehra
took two late-order wickets and Zaheer Khan
took the final wicket, Best smashing a straight drive right to Raina at long on.
Jermaine Lawson
, Best
and Daren Powell
all bowled with heart and pace, but they bowled too many loose balls against a new-look Indian top-order. Mohammad Kaif had been sent in to open, and did quite well, until he got a rush of blood to the head and nicked Best to Joseph
at slip, gone for 24. Earlier, Sehwag
had been caught behind down the leg side after a delivery by Lawson
, while Raina looked nervy and uncertain, yet still made 35 thanks to loose bowling and a few dropped catches.
After the shaky first 15 overs, which had yielded 83 runs and three wickets, Rahul Dravid
and Yuvraj Singh
settled in the crease, accumulating runs all around the pitch, and the dismissal of Yuvraj didn't bother them much - Dhoni
took his place with ease, smashing a four and a six on the way to an unbeaten 15, and India reached the target with fourteen overs to spare.
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went top of the table against after a crushing 50-run win over West Indies, which but for Dwayne Smith
's thumping 68 would have been even greater. It started well for West Indies, the international debutant (at the ripe age of 31) Deighton Butler
from St Vincent
dug out Upul Tharanga
for 6 in the third over of the match, but Atapattu
and Sangakkara
played themselves well in. Butler toiled and toiled, but despite two maiden overs he could only get the one wicket - for 25 runs, but it didn't really matter.
Sangakkara and Atapattu took their runs from other sources, particularly Lawson
, and they paired up for 34 overs - a marathon partnership in ODI cricket. After 25 overs, the score was a paltry 78 for 1, but the pair took to the attack in the next 10 overs and added another 71 before part-timer Deonarine
had Sangakkara caught at cover for 79. However, despite wickets tumbling, Sri Lanka kept the run rate up well and added 107 in the last 15 overs - Russel Arnold
making an unbeaten 21 and pairing up with Upul Chandana
for 36 for the seventh wicket to see Sri Lanka to the 50-over mark on 241 for 6.
West Indies would have known that the Dambulla pitch was rarely one for the big totals, and the 242 to win looked more than challenging. And instead of staying in their shell and waiting for the Sri Lankan bowlers to get frustrated with the task, like Atapattu and Sangakkara had done to the West Indies attack earlier on, West Indies went after the swinging balls, and duly paid with their wickets. Farveez Maharoof
bowled three maidens in succession, two of them including a wicket falling, and after seven overs West Indies were 18 for 2.
Dilhara Lokuhettige
continued to plug away, and got two more wickets in the space of five overs, and also had a catch dropped. After 20 overs, the West Indies were 55 for 5, Maharoof
having bowled ten of those - for a total of nine runs conceded, and three wickets taken. Dwayne Smith
, Deonarine
and Ramdin
tried to recover, but Deonarine inside edged a delivery from Dilhara Fernando
back onto his own stumps for 23, and when Ramdin departed for 29 in the 37th over after a 46-run partnership, all looked well and truly lost. The last rites were performed with Lawson
being stumped off Dilshan
, as West Indies finished on 191 all out - one run short of gaining a bonus point. http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/SL_WI_IOC_ODI3_02AUG2005.html
recorded their third win of the series, but this one was clutched from the jaws of defeat. Having been put in the field by Rahul Dravid
- still captain of India
, despite Sourav Ganguly
's return to international cricket following his four-match ban - the opening bowlers were taken for 67 runs in 15 overs, Virender Sehwag
and Ganguly
enjoying the moment. Only the debutant, 21-year-old Pradeep Jayaprakashdaran
, got a wicket, and indeed he was quite economical, only conceding 21 in his six overs. However, the five wides he bowled meant that he wasn't judged useful - along with the fact that the part-timer Tillakaratne Dilshan
was most effective.
Dilshan got three of the next four wickets, but only after India had moved to 117 for 1 - VVS Laxman departing first for 22, Ganguly
quickly following suit after having hit 51 - and 10,000 ODI runs in his career, and Rahul Dravid
was deceived by the drift and clean bowled by the spinner for a golden duck. Dilshan got a fourth scalp, that of Suresh Raina, and finished with excellent figures of four for 29 - unfortunately for Sri Lanka, few others managed to be effective, and Irfan Pathan
and Mohammad Kaif attacked in the late overs to see India to a competitive 220 for 8.
Jayasuriya
was still out due to his injury sustained in the last game against the Indians, and his reliable ODI batting - always good for a run-a-ball 40 - was missed. Pathan
, Lakshmipathy Balaji
and Nehra
took four wickets and toiled away, another fell to a run-out, and Harbhajan Singh
had Dilhara Lokuhettige
caught behind for a six-ball duck. After 26 overs, Sri Lanka were 96 for 6, needing 125 from the last 24 overs with Jayawardene
and the number eight, Chandana
, at the crease. However, they performed the incredible comeback. They saw off Nehra
- who finished with two for 22 - and went for the kill from the other bowlers, knowing that Dravid
had to find ten overs from Ganguly
and Sehwag
. In the event, he only required nine - because the two were carted for 55 runs, Jayawardene
smacked 94 not out, his highest score in four years, and Chandana
finished six short of a sixth fifty, as Sri Lanka improbably made it home with two overs to spare.
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returned for Sri Lanka
, and bowled well as usual, but the main reason West Indies lost seven wickets was due to run-outs
- four of the wickets fell due to that - but a disciplined and patient bowling effort saw them to a 33-run win.
It started with a surprise - Chanderpaul
, the skipper who had hid himself down the order, coming in at five or six, opened the innings, in an effort to stabilise the top order. But when Tharanga
ran out Xavier Marshall
with a throw at the stumps, with the score at 25 for 1, it looked like the West Indies would subside for a low score again.
However, Chanderpaul batted with responsibility, Sylvester Joseph
managed not to get out, although he did need 15 deliveries to get off the mark, and the two paired up for 72 - West Indies' highest second-wicket partnership
in any form of cricket since early May, and although Chanderpaul
departed in the 25th over , he had set a solid foundation for the other batsmen. Joseph and Deonarine
added 55 together, but after 41 overs West Indies were still at a relatively paltry 166 for 4, Joseph having been run out after a mix-up with Omari Banks
. However, Banks redeemed himself with a fine 33, Ricardo Powell
and Best
hit quick runs, and West Indies finished on a reasonable total of 226 for 7.
After an opening ten overs which yielded 46 runs, most of them from Jayasuriya
the Sri Lankan fans would have been forgiven for thinking the rest of the match would be easy. However, Jayasuriya was lbw
to Butler
with the last delivery of the tenth over, and Daren Powell
and Dwayne Smith
tied the Sri Lankans down with good pace bowling. It reaped rewards - Powell got Sangakkara
for 7, and Smith dug out two wickets with successive balls as Sri Lanka moved to 73 for 4. Jayawardene
, who had played a match-saving 94 earlier on, gave an unnecessary heave to Daren Powell
, and all of a sudden Sri Lanka were five down for 92.
Omari Banks
escaped with only twenty-six runs from his ten overs, securing the wicket of Upul Chandana
, and when his spell was over Sri Lanka felt compelled to lash out in order to have a go at reaching the target. It didn't work. Part-timer spinner Narsingh Deonarine
got two wickets, including the final one of Arnold
, who made a slow 59, and Sri Lanka whimpered to 193 - defeated by 33 runs.
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This match was in effect a semi-final, both teams needing a win to proceed to the final with Sri Lanka
. Rahul Dravid
won the toss and chose to bat in Colombo, his team-mates were immediately worried by the hostile bowling of the West Indian seamers, who got plenty of swing and awkward bounce. It was enough to send Sourav Ganguly
out of the match with an arm injury, and Virender Sehwag
and VVS Laxman were also dismissed early. Effectively, India
were 21 for 3 at that point. Dravid
and Yuvraj
rebuilt with a 30-run partnership, but then Banks
struck with his first ball of the day, and India looked to subside for something in the region of 150 - which would increase the West Indians' chances, as the team was lacking captain Chanderpaul
due to illness and Joseph
had to step in as acting captain.
Yuvraj
kept his calm, however, and was well supported by Mohammad Kaif, who ran a total of 59 times across the pitch to add to his six fours. The pair took runs off Deonarine
in particular, who was clubbed for 69 in eight overs, while the fast bowlers Butler
, Best
and Daren Powell
were not used for the full ten overs. Yuvraj was eventually out for 110, sweeping to Best at short fine leg, but his 155-run partnership with Kaif and a Dhoni
blitz including two sixes and 28 runs off just 13 deliveries lifted India to 262 for 4.
Marshall
and Morton
attacked from the outset, plundering 37 runs from the first six overs, but Pathan
got Marshall out with an inswinger and bowled a wicket maiden over. Pathan, Nehra
and Kumble
continued to dig out wickets, but Morton remained at the crease while his team-mates abandoned him, the West Indies crashing to 112 for 6 - a score that could have been even lower had Kumble got his way with lbw decisions. He did get Banks
and Dwayne Smith
out in that fashion - the latter for a 12-ball cameo that yielded 26 runs - but Cricinfo
reporters argued that he could have had many more. Morton stuck in, however, making 84, but when he was caught by Dravid
off Nehra
, West Indies needed 68 runs from 11 overs, with three wickets in hand.
Denesh Ramdin
, the wicket-keeper, gave it a go. He hacked at everything, missing occasionally, but also getting quite a few boundaries - however, his team-mates couldn't quite keep up with the net run rate, and West Indies finished only seven runs short of the Indian total. Overall, a pleasing game for a not quite full-strength West Indian team, while India would still be worried about their bowling and top-order batting. http://live.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_WI_IOC_ODI6_07AUG2005.html
Sri Lanka
prevailed on home soil, recovering from Nehra's
spell of swing bowling and Sehwag's
massive onslaught to keep their 2.5-year unbeaten record in home international tournaments. It started with Atapattu
choosing to bat after winning the toss, and then getting bowled by Nehra for 11 after misreading the line. Sri Lanka sent in a pinch hitter
in Dilhara
who hit two fours and a single off seven deliveries before being dubiously adjudged lbw
, again from Nehra. Nehra took his third wicket when Sangakkara
was caught at point by Sehwag
, and Sri Lanka were struggling slightly at 67 for 3.
Meanwhile, Jayasuriya
was dropped twice, but survived and went on to make 67 before being run out
attempting a difficult second run. By that time, however, he had steadied the ship with Jayawardene
, and Arnold
helped to up the pace - the score being 122 for 4 after 26 overs, when Jayasuriya was out. It did not matter, as Arnold and Jayawardene treated the spinners with disdain, plundering 125 runs in 20 overs and accelerating the scoring to a point where India could not keep up. Nehra tried, and his variations gave him more wickets - he finished with the second six-wicket-haul of his career, the first coming against England
in the 2003 World Cup
, but a returning Vaas
helped himself to 18 not out and upped the total to 281 for 9. An interesting feature of the scorecard was that no Indian bowler apart from Nehra got wickets - six for him, the other three were run outs.
India
batted with composure, grit, and the occasional flamboyance - the latter coming from Sehwag
especially, who plundered nine fours and a six on his way to a 22-ball 48 before Vaas
curved a short one into his body and Sehwag obligingly chopped onto his stumps. It had arguably given India a perfect start, and had included a 22-run over off Dilhara
. Ganguly
was lbw to Dilshan
in the 16th over, but Yuvraj
and Dravid
set the scene for an Indian victory, pairing up for 84 for the third wicket as India needed 98 in 15 overs. Tricky, but definitely possible in today's ODI cricket.
However, Yuvraj
swept to Dilhara
when the 36th over began, and just as Kaif had begun to settle in with Dravid
, a miscommunication left Dravid out of his crease, run out for 69. Kaif needed to forge a partnership with Dhoni
, India's last recognised batsman as they had gone in with five specialist bowlers, but Dhoni was deceived by a straight ball from Chandana
and lbw for 7. None of the batsmen from seven to eleven managed to get into double figures, Kaif was left to injudicious hitting and naturally top-edged one to midwicket, and India's chase - thought to be relatively simple fifteen overs before - ended a whole 18 runs short of Sri Lanka's total.
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Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
tournament which took place in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in July and August 2005, between the hosts Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
, India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
and West Indies. Sri Lanka were second in the ICC ODI Championship
ICC ODI Championship
The ICC ODI Championship is an international One Day International cricket competition run by the International Cricket Council. The competition is notional in that it is simply a ranking scheme overlaid on the regular ODI match schedule. After every ODI match, the two teams involved receive points...
before this tournament, and fulfilled their position as favourites with an 18-run victory over India in the final. Their last ODI tournament defeat at home was a 2-3 series loss to Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
, in February 2004. India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
, meanwhile, continued on their disappointing run, as that side has now only won one tournament since March 2004 - a 2-1 defeat of Bangladesh
Bangladeshi cricket team
The Bangladesh national cricket team is a national cricket team representing Bangladesh. The team is administered by the Bangladesh Cricket Board . Bangladesh is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status...
, which could be seen as a disappointment as well, as the Bangladeshis had not won an ODI against a full member of the ICC, excepting Zimbabwe, since 1999. They're seventh in the ODI tables, one place ahead of the West Indies, who were in the middle of a contract dispute - meaning that they were not fielding their strongest side. However, there were a number of positive performances - the bowlers more often than not impressed, and Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin is a West Indian cricketer of Indian descent. He is a right-handed batsman who generally occupies the position of wicketkeeper.He is seen by selectors and fans as a replacement in terms of playing style for Jeff Dujon...
showed himself as a wicketkeeper for the future. However, a 7-run loss in the final match against India saw them knocked out of the final. Sri Lanka only lost one match in the tournament, a pointless fixture from their point of view against West Indies.
Tournament structure
The sides met each other in a double round robinRound-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
, meaning that each side played four matches, for a total of six matches being played. A win was worth five points, and a loss zero - however, if the winning team had a run rate (i.e. runs hit per over) higher than 1.25 times that of the opponent, a bonus point was awarded to the winning side, if not it went to the losing side. In the event of a tie or a no-result, each side was awarded three points. The top two teams on points went through to the one-match final.
First match, Sri Lanka v India 30 July
Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
survived a scare in a low-scoring, see-sawing ODI in Dambulla
Dambulla
The city of Dambulla is situated in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy....
. Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
, India's
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
captain, won the toss and elected to bat, and after Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
had taken three fours off the Sri Lankan opening bowlers Farveez Maharoof
Farveez Maharoof
Mohamed Farveez Maharoof is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder, he made...
and Dilhara Lokuhettige
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
, things looked up, as India had made 17 off the first two overs. However, Sehwag was bowled by Maharoof with the thirteenth ball of the day, Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team. He made his One Day International debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and a year later played his first Test, this time against Sri Lanka.Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC...
soon followed to the pavilion, and suddenly it was up to Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
and Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
to rebuild, the score 22 for 2. Yuvraj and Dravid played cautiously, yet Yuvraj still managed to give away his wicket, pulling to substitute fielder Upul Tharanga
Upul Tharanga
Warushavithana Upul Tharanga , commonly known as Upul Tharanga, is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed opening batsman and wicketkeeper.-Early life:Upul Tharanga had his education at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda...
at mid-on.
More wickets followed - 18-year-old Suresh Raina trapped lbw facing his first ball in senior international cricket by Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
's doosra - as India crumbled to 64 for 5. Dravid, however, played a very reliable knock, and together with another debutant, Yalaka Venugopal Rao he added 58 in thirteen overs. However, it came to an end too early to help India significantly in the late overs, leg-spinner Upul Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
sneaking a ball past his bat and pads and having him bowled for 54, and India were staring at a very low score - 122 for 6 after nearly 33 overs.
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
and Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is an Indian cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. A left arm fast bowler considered as the best of the Indian fast bowling attack, Zaheer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, and as a batsman also holds the record for the highest Test...
both added 20, however, which coupled with Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
's slow but steady 21 lifted India to a somewhat competitive 205 for 9. The only downside for Sri Lanka was that their opener Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
had torn his shoulder, and looked unlikely to have a bat. Therefore, Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
joined Marvan Atapattu
Marvan Atapattu
Marvan Samson Atapattu is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and former Sri Lankan captain. Towards the end of his career he joined the Indian Cricket League and captained the Delhi Giants...
as openers for Sri Lanka - the pair added 19 off 26 balls, before Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
dug him out with a good inswinger.
India took wickets regularly, but by the end of the 25th over Sri Lanka were 99 for 3, and well on the way to chasing 206 - without even needing Jayasuriya. Or so it seemed. But Harbhajan's
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
off-breaks two players to miss their shots, and suddenly the score was 112 for 5 - with an injured Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
and debutant Dilhara
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
at the crease. However, Jayasuriya battled on bravely - some might say foolishly - and made an unbeaten 43 to guide Sri Lanka to the target with ten balls to spare, well helped by Farveez Maharoof
Farveez Maharoof
Mohamed Farveez Maharoof is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder, he made...
, who made 23 from number 9 including four fours hit in front of square and a number of nervy shots that missed the bat.
http://live.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_SL_IOC_ODI1_30JUL2005.html
Second match, India v West Indies 31 July
IndiaIndian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
bounced back as expected against the West Indies, who could only take Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
's good form as some kind of positive event from this game. Having only put on the solitary run from eight deliveries, Runako Morton
Runako Morton
Runako Shakur Morton is a West Indian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed offbreak bowler.A lively, often unpredictable character, Morton was expelled from the West Indian cricketing Academy in July 2001 for bad behaviour but continued to play for the Leeward Islands in the...
was lbw to Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
, and when Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Cleofoster Joseph is a West Indian cricketer who has played in five Tests and 13 ODIs, from 2000 to 2005. He captained the West Indies in one of those ODI games due to the more experienced players being unavailable courtesy of contract disputes...
and Xavier Marshall
Xavier Marshall
Xavier Melbourne Marshall is a West Indies cricketer. He is a batsman and a talented fielder. However in recent years he has failed to live up to his previous reputation as a promising young cricketer, and his progress in international cricket has since stagnated as a result of much inconsistency...
followed in quick succession, West Indies were struggling on 32 for 3, Marshall having hit 26 of the runs.
However, Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
- who had struggled to get off the mark - and Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine "Shiv" Chanderpaul is a cricketer, and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean in the West Indies team to play 100 Tests for the West Indies and has captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals...
survived for 17 overs, making only 52 before Raina took his first international wicket as Chanderpaul missed a straight delivery. Ricardo Powell
Ricardo Powell
Ricardo Powell was the youngest West Indian to score an ODI century. He made 2,000 ODI runs at a strike rate of 96.66, which is the highest strike rate of a West Indian player with more than 1000 ODI runs, and he also emulated Gordon Greenidge by hitting 8 sixes in an ODI innings against India in...
followed shortly afterwards, and despite some slogging from Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Romel Smith is a cricketer who has represented the West Indies. An all-rounder, he is known as an aggressive and powerful right-handed batsman, bowls medium pace, and is also an athletic fielder. Smith has played for Barbados since the start of his career but has also played three seasons...
, who made 20 off 7 balls including two sixes, and Tino Best
Tino Best
Tino la Bertram Best is a West Indian cricketer.Short in stature, Tino Best is a fast and aggressive bowler with a bowling average of 48.67 in Test cricket....
, who made 24, West Indies crumbled to 178 all out as Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
took two late-order wickets and Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is an Indian cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. A left arm fast bowler considered as the best of the Indian fast bowling attack, Zaheer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, and as a batsman also holds the record for the highest Test...
took the final wicket, Best smashing a straight drive right to Raina at long on.
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Jay Charles Lawson is a West Indian cricketer who has played in 13 Tests and 13 ODIs.Lawson is a fast bowler capable of bowling over 150 km/h...
, Best
Tino Best
Tino la Bertram Best is a West Indian cricketer.Short in stature, Tino Best is a fast and aggressive bowler with a bowling average of 48.67 in Test cricket....
and Daren Powell
Daren Powell
Daren Brent Lyle Powell is a West Indian cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Jamaica. A right-arm fast medium bowler, he has played Test matches and One Day Internationals for the West Indian cricket team. Despite starting his cricketing career as a number 3 batsman, Powell is a genuine...
all bowled with heart and pace, but they bowled too many loose balls against a new-look Indian top-order. Mohammad Kaif had been sent in to open, and did quite well, until he got a rush of blood to the head and nicked Best to Joseph
Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Cleofoster Joseph is a West Indian cricketer who has played in five Tests and 13 ODIs, from 2000 to 2005. He captained the West Indies in one of those ODI games due to the more experienced players being unavailable courtesy of contract disputes...
at slip, gone for 24. Earlier, Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
had been caught behind down the leg side after a delivery by Lawson
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Jay Charles Lawson is a West Indian cricketer who has played in 13 Tests and 13 ODIs.Lawson is a fast bowler capable of bowling over 150 km/h...
, while Raina looked nervy and uncertain, yet still made 35 thanks to loose bowling and a few dropped catches.
After the shaky first 15 overs, which had yielded 83 runs and three wickets, Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
and Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
settled in the crease, accumulating runs all around the pitch, and the dismissal of Yuvraj didn't bother them much - Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team. He made his One Day International debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and a year later played his first Test, this time against Sri Lanka.Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC...
took his place with ease, smashing a four and a six on the way to an unbeaten 15, and India reached the target with fourteen overs to spare.
http://live.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_WI_IOC_ODI2_31JUL2005.html
Third match, Sri Lanka v West Indies 2 August
Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
went top of the table against after a crushing 50-run win over West Indies, which but for Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Romel Smith is a cricketer who has represented the West Indies. An all-rounder, he is known as an aggressive and powerful right-handed batsman, bowls medium pace, and is also an athletic fielder. Smith has played for Barbados since the start of his career but has also played three seasons...
's thumping 68 would have been even greater. It started well for West Indies, the international debutant (at the ripe age of 31) Deighton Butler
Deighton Butler
Deighton Calvin Butler is a West Indies cricket player who played five One-day International matches and one Twenty20 international in 2005 and 2006....
from St Vincent
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
dug out Upul Tharanga
Upul Tharanga
Warushavithana Upul Tharanga , commonly known as Upul Tharanga, is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed opening batsman and wicketkeeper.-Early life:Upul Tharanga had his education at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda...
for 6 in the third over of the match, but Atapattu
Marvan Atapattu
Marvan Samson Atapattu is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and former Sri Lankan captain. Towards the end of his career he joined the Indian Cricket League and captained the Delhi Giants...
and Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
played themselves well in. Butler toiled and toiled, but despite two maiden overs he could only get the one wicket - for 25 runs, but it didn't really matter.
Sangakkara and Atapattu took their runs from other sources, particularly Lawson
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Jay Charles Lawson is a West Indian cricketer who has played in 13 Tests and 13 ODIs.Lawson is a fast bowler capable of bowling over 150 km/h...
, and they paired up for 34 overs - a marathon partnership in ODI cricket. After 25 overs, the score was a paltry 78 for 1, but the pair took to the attack in the next 10 overs and added another 71 before part-timer Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
had Sangakkara caught at cover for 79. However, despite wickets tumbling, Sri Lanka kept the run rate up well and added 107 in the last 15 overs - Russel Arnold
Russel Arnold
Russel Premakumaran "Rusty" Arnold is a former Sri Lankan cricketer of Tamil descent. Arnold made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1997 and his One day international debut against South Africa later in the year. Originally an opening batsmen, Arnold has since moved down the batting order...
making an unbeaten 21 and pairing up with Upul Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
for 36 for the seventh wicket to see Sri Lanka to the 50-over mark on 241 for 6.
West Indies would have known that the Dambulla pitch was rarely one for the big totals, and the 242 to win looked more than challenging. And instead of staying in their shell and waiting for the Sri Lankan bowlers to get frustrated with the task, like Atapattu and Sangakkara had done to the West Indies attack earlier on, West Indies went after the swinging balls, and duly paid with their wickets. Farveez Maharoof
Farveez Maharoof
Mohamed Farveez Maharoof is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder, he made...
bowled three maidens in succession, two of them including a wicket falling, and after seven overs West Indies were 18 for 2.
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
continued to plug away, and got two more wickets in the space of five overs, and also had a catch dropped. After 20 overs, the West Indies were 55 for 5, Maharoof
Farveez Maharoof
Mohamed Farveez Maharoof is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder, he made...
having bowled ten of those - for a total of nine runs conceded, and three wickets taken. Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Romel Smith is a cricketer who has represented the West Indies. An all-rounder, he is known as an aggressive and powerful right-handed batsman, bowls medium pace, and is also an athletic fielder. Smith has played for Barbados since the start of his career but has also played three seasons...
, Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
and Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin is a West Indian cricketer of Indian descent. He is a right-handed batsman who generally occupies the position of wicketkeeper.He is seen by selectors and fans as a replacement in terms of playing style for Jeff Dujon...
tried to recover, but Deonarine inside edged a delivery from Dilhara Fernando
Dilhara Fernando
Congenige Randhi Dilhara Fernando is a cricketer who plays for Sri Lanka. He is a right-handed pace bowler.Dilhara studied at De Mazenod College Kandana...
back onto his own stumps for 23, and when Ramdin departed for 29 in the 37th over after a 46-run partnership, all looked well and truly lost. The last rites were performed with Lawson
Jermaine Lawson
Jermaine Jay Charles Lawson is a West Indian cricketer who has played in 13 Tests and 13 ODIs.Lawson is a fast bowler capable of bowling over 150 km/h...
being stumped off Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan born October 14, 1976 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka is a Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team since April 2011. He has been a member of the team since November 1999, and was also known as Tuwan Mohammad Dilshan prior to his conversion...
, as West Indies finished on 191 all out - one run short of gaining a bonus point. http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/SL_WI_IOC_ODI3_02AUG2005.html
Fourth match, Sri Lanka v India 3 August
Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
recorded their third win of the series, but this one was clutched from the jaws of defeat. Having been put in the field by Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
- still captain of India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
, despite Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
's return to international cricket following his four-match ban - the opening bowlers were taken for 67 runs in 15 overs, Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
and Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
enjoying the moment. Only the debutant, 21-year-old Pradeep Jayaprakashdaran
Pradeep Jayaprakashdaran
Pradeep Sri Jayaprakashdaran is a Sri Lankan cricketer from the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has played one One Day International to date, against India in the group stage of the 2005 Indian Oil Cup....
, got a wicket, and indeed he was quite economical, only conceding 21 in his six overs. However, the five wides he bowled meant that he wasn't judged useful - along with the fact that the part-timer Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan born October 14, 1976 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka is a Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team since April 2011. He has been a member of the team since November 1999, and was also known as Tuwan Mohammad Dilshan prior to his conversion...
was most effective.
Dilshan got three of the next four wickets, but only after India had moved to 117 for 1 - VVS Laxman departing first for 22, Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
quickly following suit after having hit 51 - and 10,000 ODI runs in his career, and Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
was deceived by the drift and clean bowled by the spinner for a golden duck. Dilshan got a fourth scalp, that of Suresh Raina, and finished with excellent figures of four for 29 - unfortunately for Sri Lanka, few others managed to be effective, and Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
and Mohammad Kaif attacked in the late overs to see India to a competitive 220 for 8.
Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
was still out due to his injury sustained in the last game against the Indians, and his reliable ODI batting - always good for a run-a-ball 40 - was missed. Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
, Lakshmipathy Balaji
Lakshmipathy Balaji
Lakshmipathy Balaji is an Indian cricketer. He is a right arm fast medium bowler.-International Cricket:...
and Nehra
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
took four wickets and toiled away, another fell to a run-out, and Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
had Dilhara Lokuhettige
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
caught behind for a six-ball duck. After 26 overs, Sri Lanka were 96 for 6, needing 125 from the last 24 overs with Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene
Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
and the number eight, Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
, at the crease. However, they performed the incredible comeback. They saw off Nehra
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
- who finished with two for 22 - and went for the kill from the other bowlers, knowing that Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
had to find ten overs from Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
and Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
. In the event, he only required nine - because the two were carted for 55 runs, Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene
Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
smacked 94 not out, his highest score in four years, and Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
finished six short of a sixth fifty, as Sri Lanka improbably made it home with two overs to spare.
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_SL_IOC_ODI4_03AUG2005.html
Fifth match, Sri Lanka v West Indies 6 August
West Indies took a vital win in the fifth match of the tournament, to keep their hopes alive of a final place. Muttiah MuralitharanMuttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
returned for Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
, and bowled well as usual, but the main reason West Indies lost seven wickets was due to run-outs
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
- four of the wickets fell due to that - but a disciplined and patient bowling effort saw them to a 33-run win.
It started with a surprise - Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine "Shiv" Chanderpaul is a cricketer, and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean in the West Indies team to play 100 Tests for the West Indies and has captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals...
, the skipper who had hid himself down the order, coming in at five or six, opened the innings, in an effort to stabilise the top order. But when Tharanga
Upul Tharanga
Warushavithana Upul Tharanga , commonly known as Upul Tharanga, is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed opening batsman and wicketkeeper.-Early life:Upul Tharanga had his education at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda...
ran out Xavier Marshall
Xavier Marshall
Xavier Melbourne Marshall is a West Indies cricketer. He is a batsman and a talented fielder. However in recent years he has failed to live up to his previous reputation as a promising young cricketer, and his progress in international cricket has since stagnated as a result of much inconsistency...
with a throw at the stumps, with the score at 25 for 1, it looked like the West Indies would subside for a low score again.
However, Chanderpaul batted with responsibility, Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Cleofoster Joseph is a West Indian cricketer who has played in five Tests and 13 ODIs, from 2000 to 2005. He captained the West Indies in one of those ODI games due to the more experienced players being unavailable courtesy of contract disputes...
managed not to get out, although he did need 15 deliveries to get off the mark, and the two paired up for 72 - West Indies' highest second-wicket partnership
Partnership (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, two batsmen always bat in partnership, although only one is on strike at any time. The partnership between two batsmen will come to an end when one of them is dismissed or retires, or the innings comes to a close In the sport of cricket, two batsmen always bat in...
in any form of cricket since early May, and although Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine "Shiv" Chanderpaul is a cricketer, and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean in the West Indies team to play 100 Tests for the West Indies and has captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals...
departed in the 25th over , he had set a solid foundation for the other batsmen. Joseph and Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
added 55 together, but after 41 overs West Indies were still at a relatively paltry 166 for 4, Joseph having been run out after a mix-up with Omari Banks
Omari Banks
Omari Ahmed Clement Banks is a West Indian cricketer and musical artist. He has appeared in 10 Test matches for the West Indies, and currently plays domestic cricket for Leeward Islands. In 2011 Omari began to pursue his musical career professionally and has been less involved in playing...
. However, Banks redeemed himself with a fine 33, Ricardo Powell
Ricardo Powell
Ricardo Powell was the youngest West Indian to score an ODI century. He made 2,000 ODI runs at a strike rate of 96.66, which is the highest strike rate of a West Indian player with more than 1000 ODI runs, and he also emulated Gordon Greenidge by hitting 8 sixes in an ODI innings against India in...
and Best
Tino Best
Tino la Bertram Best is a West Indian cricketer.Short in stature, Tino Best is a fast and aggressive bowler with a bowling average of 48.67 in Test cricket....
hit quick runs, and West Indies finished on a reasonable total of 226 for 7.
After an opening ten overs which yielded 46 runs, most of them from Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
the Sri Lankan fans would have been forgiven for thinking the rest of the match would be easy. However, Jayasuriya was lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to Butler
Deighton Butler
Deighton Calvin Butler is a West Indies cricket player who played five One-day International matches and one Twenty20 international in 2005 and 2006....
with the last delivery of the tenth over, and Daren Powell
Daren Powell
Daren Brent Lyle Powell is a West Indian cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Jamaica. A right-arm fast medium bowler, he has played Test matches and One Day Internationals for the West Indian cricket team. Despite starting his cricketing career as a number 3 batsman, Powell is a genuine...
and Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Romel Smith is a cricketer who has represented the West Indies. An all-rounder, he is known as an aggressive and powerful right-handed batsman, bowls medium pace, and is also an athletic fielder. Smith has played for Barbados since the start of his career but has also played three seasons...
tied the Sri Lankans down with good pace bowling. It reaped rewards - Powell got Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
for 7, and Smith dug out two wickets with successive balls as Sri Lanka moved to 73 for 4. Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene
Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
, who had played a match-saving 94 earlier on, gave an unnecessary heave to Daren Powell
Daren Powell
Daren Brent Lyle Powell is a West Indian cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Jamaica. A right-arm fast medium bowler, he has played Test matches and One Day Internationals for the West Indian cricket team. Despite starting his cricketing career as a number 3 batsman, Powell is a genuine...
, and all of a sudden Sri Lanka were five down for 92.
Omari Banks
Omari Banks
Omari Ahmed Clement Banks is a West Indian cricketer and musical artist. He has appeared in 10 Test matches for the West Indies, and currently plays domestic cricket for Leeward Islands. In 2011 Omari began to pursue his musical career professionally and has been less involved in playing...
escaped with only twenty-six runs from his ten overs, securing the wicket of Upul Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
, and when his spell was over Sri Lanka felt compelled to lash out in order to have a go at reaching the target. It didn't work. Part-timer spinner Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
got two wickets, including the final one of Arnold
Russel Arnold
Russel Premakumaran "Rusty" Arnold is a former Sri Lankan cricketer of Tamil descent. Arnold made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1997 and his One day international debut against South Africa later in the year. Originally an opening batsmen, Arnold has since moved down the batting order...
, who made a slow 59, and Sri Lanka whimpered to 193 - defeated by 33 runs.
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/SL_WI_IOC_ODI5_06AUG2005.html
Sixth match, India v West Indies 7 August
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
. Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
won the toss and chose to bat in Colombo, his team-mates were immediately worried by the hostile bowling of the West Indian seamers, who got plenty of swing and awkward bounce. It was enough to send Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
out of the match with an arm injury, and Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
and VVS Laxman were also dismissed early. Effectively, India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
were 21 for 3 at that point. Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
and Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
rebuilt with a 30-run partnership, but then Banks
Omari Banks
Omari Ahmed Clement Banks is a West Indian cricketer and musical artist. He has appeared in 10 Test matches for the West Indies, and currently plays domestic cricket for Leeward Islands. In 2011 Omari began to pursue his musical career professionally and has been less involved in playing...
struck with his first ball of the day, and India looked to subside for something in the region of 150 - which would increase the West Indians' chances, as the team was lacking captain Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine "Shiv" Chanderpaul is a cricketer, and former captain of the West Indies cricket team. He is the first Indo-Caribbean in the West Indies team to play 100 Tests for the West Indies and has captained them in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals...
due to illness and Joseph
Sylvester Joseph
Sylvester Cleofoster Joseph is a West Indian cricketer who has played in five Tests and 13 ODIs, from 2000 to 2005. He captained the West Indies in one of those ODI games due to the more experienced players being unavailable courtesy of contract disputes...
had to step in as acting captain.
Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
kept his calm, however, and was well supported by Mohammad Kaif, who ran a total of 59 times across the pitch to add to his six fours. The pair took runs off Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine
Narsingh Deonarine is a West Indian cricketer of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity.Deonarine is a left-handed batsman who bowls a right-arm off break. He made his debut for Guyana at the age of 17, and after captaining the West Indies under 19 team in 2002, he made headlines after hitting a century against...
in particular, who was clubbed for 69 in eight overs, while the fast bowlers Butler
Deighton Butler
Deighton Calvin Butler is a West Indies cricket player who played five One-day International matches and one Twenty20 international in 2005 and 2006....
, Best
Tino Best
Tino la Bertram Best is a West Indian cricketer.Short in stature, Tino Best is a fast and aggressive bowler with a bowling average of 48.67 in Test cricket....
and Daren Powell
Daren Powell
Daren Brent Lyle Powell is a West Indian cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Jamaica. A right-arm fast medium bowler, he has played Test matches and One Day Internationals for the West Indian cricket team. Despite starting his cricketing career as a number 3 batsman, Powell is a genuine...
were not used for the full ten overs. Yuvraj was eventually out for 110, sweeping to Best at short fine leg, but his 155-run partnership with Kaif and a Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team. He made his One Day International debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and a year later played his first Test, this time against Sri Lanka.Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC...
blitz including two sixes and 28 runs off just 13 deliveries lifted India to 262 for 4.
Marshall
Xavier Marshall
Xavier Melbourne Marshall is a West Indies cricketer. He is a batsman and a talented fielder. However in recent years he has failed to live up to his previous reputation as a promising young cricketer, and his progress in international cricket has since stagnated as a result of much inconsistency...
and Morton
Runako Morton
Runako Shakur Morton is a West Indian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed offbreak bowler.A lively, often unpredictable character, Morton was expelled from the West Indian cricketing Academy in July 2001 for bad behaviour but continued to play for the Leeward Islands in the...
attacked from the outset, plundering 37 runs from the first six overs, but Pathan
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is an Indian cricketer who made his debut for India in late-2003 and was a core member of the national team until a decline in form set in during 2006, forcing him out of the team...
got Marshall out with an inswinger and bowled a wicket maiden over. Pathan, Nehra
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
and Kumble
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian Test cricket team. He is a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-hand batsman. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches...
continued to dig out wickets, but Morton remained at the crease while his team-mates abandoned him, the West Indies crashing to 112 for 6 - a score that could have been even lower had Kumble got his way with lbw decisions. He did get Banks
Omari Banks
Omari Ahmed Clement Banks is a West Indian cricketer and musical artist. He has appeared in 10 Test matches for the West Indies, and currently plays domestic cricket for Leeward Islands. In 2011 Omari began to pursue his musical career professionally and has been less involved in playing...
and Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Romel Smith is a cricketer who has represented the West Indies. An all-rounder, he is known as an aggressive and powerful right-handed batsman, bowls medium pace, and is also an athletic fielder. Smith has played for Barbados since the start of his career but has also played three seasons...
out in that fashion - the latter for a 12-ball cameo that yielded 26 runs - but Cricinfo
Cricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
reporters argued that he could have had many more. Morton stuck in, however, making 84, but when he was caught by Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
off Nehra
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
, West Indies needed 68 runs from 11 overs, with three wickets in hand.
Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin is a West Indian cricketer of Indian descent. He is a right-handed batsman who generally occupies the position of wicketkeeper.He is seen by selectors and fans as a replacement in terms of playing style for Jeff Dujon...
, the wicket-keeper, gave it a go. He hacked at everything, missing occasionally, but also getting quite a few boundaries - however, his team-mates couldn't quite keep up with the net run rate, and West Indies finished only seven runs short of the Indian total. Overall, a pleasing game for a not quite full-strength West Indian team, while India would still be worried about their bowling and top-order batting. http://live.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_WI_IOC_ODI6_07AUG2005.html
Final group stage table
| Tri-Series Standings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | M | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
 Sri LankaSri Lankan cricket team The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation... |
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | |
 IndiaIndian cricket team The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status.... |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 | |
| West Indies | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | |
Final, Sri Lanka v India 9 August
| Sri Lanka |
281/9 (50 overs) | Sri Lanka won by 18 runs |
DPMD Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s... 83 (97) A Nehra Ashish Nehra Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare... 6/59 [10] |
R. Premadasa Stadium R. Premadasa Stadium R. Premadasa Stadium is a cricket stadium situated on Khettarama Road, Maligawatta, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The stadium was, prior to June 1994, known as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium and is today one of the main venues in which the Sri Lankan cricket team play... , Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... Umpires: EAR da Silva (SL Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... ) and SJA Taufel Simon Taufel Simon James Arthur Taufel, , is an Australian cricket umpire who is a member of the ICC Elite umpire panel... (Aus Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... ) Man of the Match: DPMD Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s... (SL Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... ) Man of the Series: DPMD Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s... (SL Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... ) |
|
| India |
263/9 (50 overs) | |
R Dravid Rahul Dravid Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers... 69 (99) M Muralitharan Muttiah Muralitharan Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002... 2/35 [10] |
Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
prevailed on home soil, recovering from Nehra's
Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricketer who has represented India at the international level since 1999.Nehra started playing first-class cricket for his hometown, Delhi, in the 1997/1998 season and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1999 and his ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare...
spell of swing bowling and Sehwag's
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
massive onslaught to keep their 2.5-year unbeaten record in home international tournaments. It started with Atapattu
Marvan Atapattu
Marvan Samson Atapattu is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and former Sri Lankan captain. Towards the end of his career he joined the Indian Cricket League and captained the Delhi Giants...
choosing to bat after winning the toss, and then getting bowled by Nehra for 11 after misreading the line. Sri Lanka sent in a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter (cricket)
In cricket, pinch hitter is the usual term for a batsman promoted up the batting order in order to score quick runs. As attempting to score runs quickly involves playing more aggressive shots and thus an increased likelihood of being dismissed, it is generally considered unwise for a top-order...
in Dilhara
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
who hit two fours and a single off seven deliveries before being dubiously adjudged lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
, again from Nehra. Nehra took his third wicket when Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
was caught at point by Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
, and Sri Lanka were struggling slightly at 67 for 3.
Meanwhile, Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
was dropped twice, but survived and went on to make 67 before being run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
attempting a difficult second run. By that time, however, he had steadied the ship with Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene
Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
, and Arnold
Russel Arnold
Russel Premakumaran "Rusty" Arnold is a former Sri Lankan cricketer of Tamil descent. Arnold made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1997 and his One day international debut against South Africa later in the year. Originally an opening batsmen, Arnold has since moved down the batting order...
helped to up the pace - the score being 122 for 4 after 26 overs, when Jayasuriya was out. It did not matter, as Arnold and Jayawardene treated the spinners with disdain, plundering 125 runs in 20 overs and accelerating the scoring to a point where India could not keep up. Nehra tried, and his variations gave him more wickets - he finished with the second six-wicket-haul of his career, the first coming against England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
in the 2003 World Cup
2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
, but a returning Vaas
Chaminda Vaas
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
helped himself to 18 not out and upped the total to 281 for 9. An interesting feature of the scorecard was that no Indian bowler apart from Nehra got wickets - six for him, the other three were run outs.
India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
batted with composure, grit, and the occasional flamboyance - the latter coming from Sehwag
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag , affectionately known as Viru, the Nawab of Najafgarh, or the Zen master of modern cricket, is one of the leading batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Sehwag is an aggressive right-handed opening batsman and a part-time right-arm off-spin bowler...
especially, who plundered nine fours and a six on his way to a 22-ball 48 before Vaas
Chaminda Vaas
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
curved a short one into his body and Sehwag obligingly chopped onto his stumps. It had arguably given India a perfect start, and had included a 22-run over off Dilhara
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
. Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
was lbw to Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan born October 14, 1976 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka is a Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team since April 2011. He has been a member of the team since November 1999, and was also known as Tuwan Mohammad Dilshan prior to his conversion...
in the 16th over, but Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
and Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
set the scene for an Indian victory, pairing up for 84 for the third wicket as India needed 98 in 15 overs. Tricky, but definitely possible in today's ODI cricket.
However, Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
swept to Dilhara
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
when the 36th over began, and just as Kaif had begun to settle in with Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
, a miscommunication left Dravid out of his crease, run out for 69. Kaif needed to forge a partnership with Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team. He made his One Day International debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and a year later played his first Test, this time against Sri Lanka.Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC...
, India's last recognised batsman as they had gone in with five specialist bowlers, but Dhoni was deceived by a straight ball from Chandana
Upul Chandana
Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
and lbw for 7. None of the batsmen from seven to eleven managed to get into double figures, Kaif was left to injudicious hitting and naturally top-edged one to midwicket, and India's chase - thought to be relatively simple fifteen overs before - ended a whole 18 runs short of Sri Lanka's total.
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/IOC/SCORECARDS/IND_SL_IOC_ODI-FINAL_09AUG2005.html