Finally India beat the ordinary Banglas

It seemed that Sehwag’s comments was proved wrong with the Bangladeshi bowling in the whole test match. But the Indian bowlers had done enough to save his prestige and his comments.

When Indians were struggling at 150 for 6 in the first innings, The Master of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar saved India with his ton. He did it in a beautiful and disciplined passion. Even better was Gambhir’s 5th consecutive test match hundred. He screwed the likes of the Bangla bowlers and proved that India is No.1.

With both these tons and beautiful bowling by India in the fifth day seemed that India had an easy and comfortable win. The Indians though that the Bangla batsmen will give up easily. But the young boy Mushifqur Rahim thrashed all the to boundaries. Zak, Ishant, Mishy, Sree all were getting rattled by his batting. He sure left a message that even a Bangladeshi batsman can become match winners on their day but the only thing is that they need a chance. He got it and he disproved Sehwag’s comments.

A very good thing for India was Ishant Sharma was back in his splendid form. Bowling 8 overs in his first spell he gave away only 11 runs. Thats awesome man and took 2 crucial wickets.

Amit Mishra too who was unlucky in the first session of fifth day’s morning got a hold on and picked important wickets.

One thing, Sehwag’s captaincy was great, he attacked from the moment go. Even when Mushfiq Rahim, Mahamudullah and Shahadat were hitting in boundaries, he still attacked.

In Mushiq’s point of view, he knew it was surely India’s win, he chose to set records and have some fun. Yes, he did have fun when he was stroking Zaheer and Mishra for fours and sixes.

But it ended when he git the ball in the hands of Pragyan Ojha making India win.

India loose the Thriller

It once looked that India are the favorites, me too told that but now it is wrong. Sri Lanka dominated the match. India struggled, were under pressure, injury concern.etc.

All started off when Sangakkara won the toss and choose to bowl. As usual he selected this because of the due factor. But in the third ball of the Indian inning, Gambhir fell for a duck clean bowled by Kulasekara.

They like a row of cycle, wickets started tumbling, Kohli and Yuvraj went to the hut soon, especially Yuvraj went back to a hut with a golden duck.

Mr. Cool Skipper, Dhoni too couldn’t manage to score runs as too fell for 14 in the superb opening spell of Kulasekara.

Now, a sure partnership was needed to keep the hopes alive. Yes, Raina and Jadeja put on a needed partnership of 106 runs. But after the Drinks break in the 34th over, Dilshan struck on the pars of Jadeja.

Even with the departure of Jadeja, Raina went on to score a hundred. But, unfortunately when they to the Powerplay, wickets tumbled and India managed on 245.

The Lankan innings was expected with a high opening partnership but in 1st over Nehra struck Tharanga.

After this, they started scoring fours and also took singles. Wickets fell in their batting. But they went on to score 246 and take the cup back home.

This time, even though the Indian bowling was good, they couldn’t restrict them.

Preview: Finale of the neighbors

As it was predicted and expected, both Indians and Lankans thrashed The hosts Bangladeshis beating them 4 nil. Now to eye balls are turned towards the Final of the Triangular series to be held tomorrow in Mirpur.

This finale will mark the 121st match between India and Sri Lanka which will be the highest between two teams. The previous best was between Australia and West Indies playing 121 matches.

The Lankans surely will be aiming to defeat India as a revenge for their loss in the ODI series in December.So the final tomorrow will be a thriller with both team on heavy competition to pose the cameras with the cup.

INDIA

With starting the year in a losing note, Dhoni and co got back to winning ways with the rest of the league matches. They will surely look to win the math to win the series and close in to the ranking of the No.1 ODI team Australia.

With Virender Sehwag back in the team, it would add a huge boast to the opening. And with Gambhir back in splendid form it adds to the strength of the batting.

With Virat Kohli scoring 273 runs in four matches, is in great form batting at No.3. While the rest Dhoni, Yuvraj, Jadeja and Raina are too in good touch, it would be with the opening partnership of Sehwag and Gambhir.

Fielding and Bowling surely has improved since the teams last met in India. Bowling in last 2 matches was superb. But the worry for Dhoni is depth bowling.

India conceded over 90 runs in last 10 overs in the last matches. But with the return of Bhajji and Zak it surely will be controlled.

India surely are the favorites for this match.

SRI LANKA

The Lankans were let down with the loss to India in the last match. But surely now, they might be aiming to win the cup.

With Dilshan and Tharanga in sublime form it looks that they will provide a good start. The middle order with Mahela’s inclusion means power. They have the capability to do anything.

Sangakkara, Mahela, Samaraweera Kandamby, Perera and in superb form hitting cameos in all the matches they have played.

Bowling in the start and in the death overs had been a concern for both teams when they met each other in Indian pitch. The Indian bowlers had been inconsistent in first 2 games as they were unable to restrict The Islanders and the Hosts.

Newbie Sudeep Tyagi has performed excellently in both games he has played. With Zaheer’s return to the team, it looks like Tyagi will be out. But they may put out Sreesanth as he has been too expensive.

On the Lankan side it is even more worse, apart from Welegedara’s  5 Wicket haul in the 1st match no bowler has been consistent. Even with the likes of experienced bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara in the team, they have been too expensive and not picked up many wickets.

So the pressure is on Thisara Perera and Suraj Randiv who were the pick of the bowlers to perform well.

TOSS IS THE BOSS

Toss obviously in this series has been one go, Whoever it is win the toss and choose to field first.

PROBABLE SQUADS

India:  Virender Sehwag,  Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Sreesanth/Sudeep Tyagi.

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (capt./wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilina Kandamby, Thissara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara/ Suranga Lakmal , Chanaka Welegedara.

Indian bowlers thrashed Lanka to a loss

It never looked that the depth batting line up of Lanka would get thrashed for 213 by the Indian bowlers. But it happened. The bowlers scripted India the mammoth victory to get through to the Final. With Sehwag, Nehra and Bhajji rested it looked that India lacked spin bowling and explosive opening. But, all the experiments they tried worked out well.

Dinesh Karthik gave the start India needed as fast and explosive as Sehwag and Mishra spun the ball taking 3 wickets.

Zaheer to was in fine form picking up 3 wickets. Even the Indian fielding was fantastic. The Lankan skipper did a blunder by choosing to bat first.

Gambhir and Kohli powered the Indian batting as they scored 71 each to take India to an emphatic win.

Dhoni’s men need to perform

With losing the first match in the year and only one win, it looks tough for the Indians to compete. The win against the Banglas would surely have put them in high spirits.

In India’s point of view, even if Zak is there, there is no proper consistency. These guys should surely perform to make the Men in Blue win the match. Even if the batsmen score 350+, it will be tough for them to defend. The fielding surely has improved since the Sri Lankan tour of India last year.

More important factor is the Men in Blue bowled 3.3 overs as extras. This should be reduced as this is too much for a No.2 team. The pressure lies on Zak and Nehra as they both have to perform.

India lacks death bowling. They conceded 54 runs in last 5 overs even to a team like Bangladesh. They should reduce the number of full tosses bowled.

Battings concerns are less this time. Even as the top order fails, Dhoni doesn’t have much pressure as the middle order is playing well.

In The Islander’s point of view, win, win is the only mantra. They have started their year in a very high note with 3 wins out of 3. Now with Dilshan is back in the team it will be a moral booster for the Lankans. In the last match, promoted up the order Mahela could screw the bowling apart. Now that Mahela is back in form it adds high capability to the middle order. Even though there are injury concerns for them win is the only mantra and they are the guys with full potential.

The bowling as usual is in superb form. Perera, Kulasekara, Randiv, Lakmal, Welegedera are in superb form.

Nothing to tell about their form as they are doing wonders.

Dew factor will be as usual. Win the toss field first.

Probable Elevens

India: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, S Sreesanth

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilina Kandamby, Thissara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara

Middle order help India to put on 279

Winning the toss The Lankans choose to field as usual with a low batting team. The Indians started off good but Welegedara bowled Gambhir out for 8 runs to make him take the huge walk early. Kohli too didn’t look in fine touch as he too was caught behind with a beautiful going away delivery by Welegedara.

Meanwhile Sehwag thrashed 9 fours to end up his innings in a cheeky fashion when Chanaka Welegedara swinged one away from him. Trouble time started when it was 71-3 as middle order was exposed and had no backup. But Dhoni and Yuvraj put on a 99 run partnership chipping singles here and there and scoring some boundaries.

Dhoni ended the partnership when he knocked one to the Keeper with the away ball of Thisira Perera. Yuvraj kept on going for six more overs but soon fell to Perera for 74 runs.

After his dismissal it looked that even 250 was impossible but the likes of Raina and Jadeja made it easy as both put on cameos of 35 and 39 each. Wickets tumbled after Raina’s wicket when they took the Batting powerplay.

Harbhajan got out in a laughing fashion, but Jadeja tried to keep the pace and at last India ended up for 279.

The target for Lankans is 280. It might be tough because there is no Dilshan and Jayawardane.

With Ashraful’s 75, The Banglas power to 260 in 50 overs

This Idea cup started of with a fantastic batting performance of The Banglas in Shere–Bangla stadium in Mirpur,Dhaka. The Lankan skipper Kumar Ssangakkara started off the series by winning the toss and chosing to bowl first.

He opening pair looked in a good touch today as Tamim Iqbal and his other partner Kayes. But Kayes soon fell to end the partnership of 65 runs with Kulasekara’s wicket.

As soon as Mohd Ashraful came in and started getting in touch soon a wicket fell in the other end. Then wickets started tumbling as the both “Al-Hasan” i.e skipper Shakib and Raqib got out cheply to the young boy Suranga Lakmal.

It was a good chance for the wicket keeper Mushfiq Rahim to score runs and give partner to Ashraf. But with a good cameo he ended his innings of 35 with the spin of Lakmal.

Mahmudullah too got a good chance and he too gave a good stand with Ashraf. He too ended his innings for 45 with the same spin of Suraj Randiv.

Now it was the time to start thrashing as batting powerplay was already on.

Ashraful attempted it but failed and was dismissed  for 75 in the 49th over. As closing in to the 50th over it was to to aim for 250 with Naeem Islam and Abdur Rassak on the 22 yard.

It was- unexpected in the 50th over. It was 240 for 7 and the beautiful bowler Lakmal was introduced. The 1st ball itself was thrashed for a four by Islam.

He scored 2 awesome sixes in the next 2 balls and on the 4th ball mis-attempted it but came back for 2 runs. Next ball was a single and the last ball was run for again a couple to comfortably end their innings for 260. Fantastic enuf but low target set for the Lankans for whom 414 was too was not enough.

Lets see if Banglas came turn it over.