Tuesday, February 26, 2008
India secure finals berth in style
A 102-run partnership between Sachin Tendulkar and an unbeaten Gautam Gambhir secured India's place in the Commonwealth Bank Series final after completing a comfortable seven wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday.et 180 to win after Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar claimed four wickets each to dismiss Sri Lanka, who needed to win to keep alive their hopes of facing Australia in the best-of-three final, for 179, Tendulkar (63) and Gambhir (64) guided India home with just over 17 overs to spare.fter being dropped by Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene off the third ball of the innings from Chaminda Vaas, opener Robin Uthappa (11) departed seven balls later after being caught by Ishara Amerasinghe at mid-on off Lasith Malinga to bring Tendulkar to the crease alongside Gambhir.The pair brought up India's 50 off 60 balls before Tendulkar dominated a 50 run second wicket partnership off 63 balls.Tendulkar was the first to bring up his half century from 44 balls, which included nine fours, and after the pair brought up India's 100 in the 17th over and their 100 partnership in 108 balls, Gambhir brought up his 50 off 72 balls.The partnership was finally broken as Tendulkar was caught at long-off by Chamara Silva off Muttiah Muralitharan at the start of the 21st over to leave India 120 for two.Yuvraj Singh contributed a quickfire 36 off 35 balls before being caught in the covers by Tillakaratne Dilshan off Dilruwan Perera at the end of the 30th over with India at 171 for three.
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