The ghost of batting under the R Premadasa lights was almost buried tonight. Sachin Tendulkar's master class, an 86th international century which was not far from being his best, nearly became a footnote on a night of punches and counter-punches. Sri Lanka knew being ultra aggressive was the only way of going about this huge chase, and they counterattacked every time a wicket fell. Thilina Kandamby, batting at No. 7, fell just short of pulling off a heist against India for the second time in his short career, as the early wickets left him with too much to do.
Don't go by the 46-run margin, Indian fielders and pace bowlers were rattled during the frenetic chase. It was their spinners, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, who saved them the embarrassment. They took critical wickets at critical points, Raina's wicket of Chamara Kapugedera in the 43rd over, with 68 runs and the batting Powerplay to go, proving to be the decisive blow. A pumped-up Harbhajan then finished off what he started, dismissing the last three batsmen in a hurry. He had earlier taken two wickets in the eighth and 10th over of the innings to rein in an explosive start to the chase.
Full report to follow
Harbhajan Singh is pumped up after sending back Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka v India, Compaq Cup, final, Colombo, September 14, 2009
Harbhajan Singh dented Sri Lanka's fast start with two quick wickets © Associated Press
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Analysis : Win the toss, win the match
Preview : Chastened India seek quick turnaround
Matches: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS)
Series/Tournaments: Compaq Cup
Teams: India | Sri Lanka
An explosive start from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya promised a classic finish to the final, but a pumped-up Harbhajan Singh made immediate impact and punctured Sri Lanka's hopes of completing an improbable chase. There was no way Sri Lanka were going to get close to the target by playing Sachin Tendulkar-like, risk-free cricket and both the openers were prepared to take their chances. Sri Lanka never really lifted their foot off the pedal in what was a frenetic first half of the chase, and required just over six an over at halfway stage but had lost five wickets.
Dilshan and Jayasuriya got stuck into the fast bowlers, cutting, flicking and scooping with ease. MS Dhoni had to call upon Harbhajan as early as the eighth over, with 60 runs already up and the pace bowlers not remotely looking like forcing a breakthrough. Harbhajan's first over was a masterpiece. With a slip and leg slip in place, and a strong on-side field, he invited Dilshan to take the risk and hit through the off side. Dilshan took the bait - he didn't have many choices - got one boundary through cover, and was bowled the next ball.
In his next over, Harbhajan got Mahela Jayawardene with a doosra, and India were on all-out attack. Jayasuriya, looking to counterattack and scatter the field, holed out to mid-on, and it seemed India would run through the batting order. Kumar Sangakkara pulled out a surprise by promoting Thilan Thushara to pinch-hit, which he did by scoring three lofted boundaries in no time. Dhoni, however, brought Ishant Sharma into the attack and he pegged the middle stump back. Out came Angleo Mathews and he hit Ishant for a six in the same over.
Another counterattack was on, but Dhoni was not making things easy. Yuvraj Singh became the fourth bowler in the innings to take a wicket in the first over of a new spell, getting Mathews with one that stopped a touch. Sangakkara and Thilina Kandamby then eased out on the attack a bit, with the captain clearly playing the guiding role. At the half-way mark, the two had added 37 off 45 balls. Dhoni would have put it across Sri Lanka had he not missed Sangakkara's stumping in the 25th over. cricket more
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