Sri Lanka Tri-Series 2009

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Fixtures

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India hit by Gambhir injury

NEW DELHI: Indian hopes to become number one hit by Gambhir injury.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni conceded the team will miss Gautam Gambhir and revealed Dinesh Karthik will don the opener''s role in the ongoing Compaq Cup cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Gambhir will return home without playing a single match owing to a groin injury, which would mean India would miss both their regular openers since Virender Sehwag is also out of action following a shoulder surgery.

In such a scenario, Dhoni said Karthik would open the innings along with Sachin Tendulkar.

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India beat New Zealand in tri-series cricket

COLOMBO: India eased to a six-wicket triumph over New Zealand in their opening game of the tri-nation trophy here.

Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh were India''s heroes, helping them to bowl out New Zealand for just 155. India then reached the victory target for after losing four wickets in the 41st over to make a strong start in the event.

New Zealand tried to make a fight of defending a small total, dismissing Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh to dent India''s chase under lights. Dinesh Karthik was removed early in the piece to bring Dravid to the crease but his comeback was a labored 45-ball 14, after which Tendulkar fell for 46. New Zealand didn''t have many to defend to begin with and by dislodging two of the most successful batsmen in ODIs in successive overs, they gave themselves some lift. However, skipper MS Dhoni (45) and Suresh Raina (35) took them to an easy win.

Earlier, Nehra and Yuvraj shared six wickets as India restricted New Zealand to 155 and boost their hopes of qualifying for the final.

Left-arm seamer Nehra finished with 3-24 and left-arm spinner Yuvraj with 3-31 as India never allowed New Zealand to build a big partnership. Skipper Daniel Vettori top-scored with 25 in his team''s below-par batting display.

Fast bowlers Rudra Pratap Singh and Ishant Sharma bagged two wickets apiece as New Zealand failed to last their quota of 50 overs.

New Zealand, who need a victory to keep alive their hopes after losing to Sri Lanka in the first match, failed to cope with India''s pace-spin combination after electing to bat on a slow pitch in the day-night game.

Nehra rocked the top order when he trapped Jesse Ryder leg-before with the match''s third delivery and then dismissed Brendon McCullum in a similar fashion in his next over for his 100th wicket in one-day internationals.

Yuvraj dismissed Grant Elliott (22) and Martin Guptill (22) before accounting for Neil Broom (21).

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SL bhi jeet gaya

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yeah fit kheli SL

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Tri-country cricket tournament: India vs. Sri Lanka final today

COLOMBO: After seeing off New Zealand''s timorous challenge, Sri Lanka and India will contest bragging rights in the Compaq Cup final.

Sri Lanka holds the edge in the clash between two sides who generally don''t do dull finals. The winners will go into the Champions Trophy in positive mood, leaving the loser to put salve on their injured pride.

While Kumar Sangakkara said a decision on Muttiah Muraliatharan''s availability would be taken on Sunday evening, the bowler is fit and Sri Lanka should be fielding their strongest side - Thilan Samaraweera remains a doubt - and an Indian team missing the experience of three big-match players will have its work cut out to be competitive. Sri Lanka trounced India in the dress rehearsal on Saturday and again proved that once they have a score on the board at the Premadasa, they defend it resolutely.

Sri Lanka has all the weapons they need in two brisk new-ball operators, a vicious slinger, and two spinners with an assortment of tricks. Each of those bowlers is capable, more so under lights, of denying batsmen the space and time to score. The support cast is no less impressive, with the ever-improving Angelo Mathews and India would do well to be wary of Sanath Jayasuriya, who sorted out a couple of New Zealand batsmen with his variations last week. On Monday, India could face the world''s most potent spin attack, with Murali and Ajantha Mendis possibly back in tandem. There will be a few flashes of the Asia Cup final last year.

India''s concern is the batting, particularly at the top. Dinesh Karthik may have just played his way out of the XI, despite MS Dhoni having twice spoken of how wary he is to stick young Virat Kohli in as opener. Sachin Tendulkar has got starts on two occasions, but most worrying is the form of Yuvraj Singh, who has struggled to start against pace and spin. He scratched around dreadfully in both matches. India''s fielding was also rather shabby in the previous game.

India''s only real hope is to put up a big total and then pressure Sri Lanka''s batsmen into committing errors. Chasing against the likes of Murali, Mendis and Lasith Malinga is a difficult task at the best of times, and as India found out yesterday, the anaconda grip gets you eventually.

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Tendulkar shines as India win tri-nation series

COLOMBO: A century from Sachin Tendulkar and five wickets from Harbhajan Singh helped India beat Sri Lanka by 46 runs to win the tri-nation cricket championship in Monday''s final.

Tendulkar scored 138 for his 44th limited-overs hundred and was supported by innings of 56 from Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh to lead India to 319-5 after winning the toss and batting.

Sri Lanka started its chase well but succumbed to pressure as wickets fell at crucial times.

Thilina Kandamby battled hard with 66 runs later in the innings but his efforts were not enough to pull off an upset win.

Tillakaratne Dilshan punished the Indian bowlers with a 29-ball 42, putting on 64 with Sanath Jayasuriya for the first wicket.

But offspinner Harbhajan struck in his first over, bowling Dilshan, and took a return catch to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene (1) in his next to push the hosts back.

Sri Lanka sent in tailender Thilan Thushara in a ploy to hit out of trouble but he was out for 15.

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and Kandamby shared a 51-run partership for the sixth wicket before Sangakkara was out hit wicket. He made 33 before trying to heave the ball when the bat slipped out of his hands and hit the stumps.

Kandamby and Chamara Kapugedera shared 71 runs for the seventh wicket, raising hopes of an upset win, but captain Dhoni took a sharp catch off spin bowler Suresh Raina to dismiss Kapugedera.

Harbhajan returned when Sri Lanka took its batting power play and immediately struck, bowling Kandamby to end any chance of a resurgence. He took two more late-order wickets to finish with 5-56.

Earlier, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, India''s surprise choice for opener, shared a 95-run opening partnership.

Spin bowler Jayasuriya broke the pair up in his first over with Dravid caught by Dilshan at extra-cover for 39.

Dhoni and Tendulkar put on 110 for the second wicket, frustrating the Sri Lanka bowlers.

Tendulkar was out trapped leg before to spinner Ajantha Mendis. He faced 133 balls, hitting 10 boundaries and a six.

Dhoni miscued a pull shot and was caught by Kandamby after completing his 17th limited-overs half-century. His 56 came off 62 balls and included three boundaries.

Yuvraj provided some quick runs in the final overs, finishing with an unbeaten 56 off 41 balls including six boundaries and a six.

Thushara took 2-71.

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Indian team gets warm welcome on returning home

NEW DELHI: The victorious Indian cricket team was accorded warm welcome on returning home after winning the three-nation One-day International series in Sri Lanka.

India defeated hosts Sri Lanka by 46 runs in the final played on Monday.

Hundreds of fans were looking anxious to get a glimpse of their heroes at the Chennai Airport when the team arrived on Tuesday.

Strict security arrangements were made on this occasion.

India captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni said that the next target of his team is the ICC Champions Trophy in which he hopes to display the best performance.

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Jeet gaya na akhir ko india