Indian bowler restricts Sri Lanka 179 runs at Hobart CB Series

Dhoni criticised the Aussies for their "provocative behaviour" during Sunday's Sydney ODI, which prompted the Indians to lodge a formal complaint with the match referee.
(live-PR.com) - Feb 26 (PTI) Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today made it clear his team will not back down when it comes to matching the Australian aggression in the tri-series finals and blamed the world champions for the on-field bitterness between the two sides.The emphatic victory also gave India a bonus point, taking their tally to 17 points from eight matches.India win eleventh ODI match against Sri Lanka at Hobart has put them in Final in CB series against world champions Australia. Scintillating batting by Sachin Tendulkar 63 runs,Gautam Gambhir 64 runs not out batsman and Yuvraj 35 runs architect the India's victory to a chase of 180 runs for the loss of three wickets.
live-PR.com)- India has qualified for semi final and will play
with World champions Australia in final.Hobart man of the match goes to
Parveen Kumar has taken four wickets in his third appearance Gautam's
patient knock was not out 64 runs highest scorer. Perera has taken the first wicket of Yuvraj 31 runs 37 balls caught Dilshan.India races towards victory as Yuvraj 35 plays his gifted strokes all around the field with four balls to fence and one six in his 32 balls.Gautam has completed his 53 runs in 71 balls in 27 over. Gambhir batting at 46 runs and Yuvraj brilliant 21 runs with 2 boundaries and a six on long on, Team India are 147 runs for the loss of two wickets. Sachin is out for 63 runs by well laid trap by Murali spinnerat team India score of 120 runs.India has made 80 runs for the loss of one wickets in fourteen overs with Sachin scored 46 runs in 41 balls Gautam Gambhir 19 runsin 33 balls.Team India has opened the inning with Robin and Sachin and Robin sent two boundaries made another attempt was caught at mid on by Amerasinghe on the bowling of Malinga.India are 18 for one a loss of Robin Uthappa 11 runs in 9 balls. The Batting pitch with little and no advantage for bowlers saw Sri Lankan batting tumble as the swing of Parveen and pace of Ishant bowling together took eight wickets in their stipulated twenty overs has restricted Islanders to score meager total of 179 runs in 471.overs in triangular CB series in Hobart at Bellerive Oval on Tuesday.Parveen Kumar taking four wickets in 31 runs and Ishant Sharma four wickets in 41 runs made the Sri Lanka middle order to tumble at one stage 93 for seven but responsible knock of Chamara Kapugedera came to the rescue, scoring a career-best 57 runs in 86 balls as he combined with tail-enders Lasith Malinga 12 runs in 36 balls a worthy 46-run stand and then Muttiah Muralidaran 13 runs in 27 balls a hectic 40-run stand to lift team Sri Lanka to the defend able total of 179 runs.Top order batsmen Jayasuriya 33 runs and Sangakkara 37 runs laid foundation took the score to score 72 runs at ease.Fine display of Indian bowlers and spirited atmosphere in the field has brought the game in best state.

Indians, who have not shown the desired consistency in the tournament so far, have no option but to defeat the islanders in the day game to qualify for the best of three finals on Tuesday itself.

In case they lose, they still have a chance of making it but for that to happen, Sri Lanka have to lose to Australia in their last league match. But the Indians are not to keen to wait till the last game.India need one victory to guarantee a place in the final, the task for the Lankans is a bit more difficult as they have to win both their remaining matches to secure a place in the summit showdown.

Australia have already qualified with 26 points from seven matches while India are at the second spot with 12 points from six outings. Sri Lanka are at the third slot with six points from as many matches.
Dhoni wants his team to seal a place in the finals here rather than wait anxiously for the outcome of the Lanka-Australia match.

Umpires RE Koertzen (South Africa) and SJA Taufel
TV umpire BNJ Oxenford
Match referee JJ Crowe (New Zealand)
Reserve umpire SG John

Team India:SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, RV Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, RG Sharma, P Kumar, IK Pathan, captainwicketkeeperMS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, I Sharma, MM Patel
Sri Lanka: Perera, Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, M Jayawardene, Silva, Dilshan, Kapugedera, Vaas, Malinga, Amerasinghe, Muralitharan