Related Links : World Cup 2007 : Scorecard
They played for just the two points and they achieved that with a clinical performance. A wounded Team India was standing in their way, a team that was carrying the hopes of billions of followers worldwide and not to forget the sponsors and all other people whose profits simply depended on the survival of the Indians in the World Cup! It really didn’t matter to those heartless 11 Sri Lankan Chaps, who went onto complete their mission in a ruthless fashion. Sorry India, you are out! Sri Lanka won their assignment by 69 runs at the Queen’s Park Oval, but the real result that was written was ‘Bye Bye India’ out of the ongoing World Cup!
It has been a shocking World Cup in the Caribbean, everyone thought it was so easy going for two top teams to get into the Super8s. The first round was just a mere formality. But it wasn’t what it was thought to be for the Pakistanis and now their neighbours, India! On the ‘D’ day, Rahul Dravid opted to put his opposition to bat first and asking the bowlers to exploit the early morning moisture. Harbhajan came in for Kumble while Dilhara replaced Maharoof for the Sri Lankans. The basics were done pretty well by the bowling side, Jayasuriya (6) was to be dismissed early, which was what Zaheer had done in the 7th over. The match looked to be going according to a script with Jayawardene (7) also departing early. And then the wickets of the settled Sangakkara (15) and Tharanga falling at the wrong time. Sri Lanka were pegged back at 133 for 4 in the 33rd over. Tharanga was the highest scorer among these batsmen, anchoring a 64 from 90 balls with 6 fours.
What was required from Dravid and his team was to disallow any partnerships to develop for the Lankan Lions. They needed to pull off a special effort to clean up the Lankan innings. But they were defied by the fifth wicket partnership between the classy Chamara Silva and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has developed this habit of chipping in when his side is in trouble. India had its opportunity when both these batsmen fell almost at a same time which saw SL reduced to 216 for 6 after 46.1 overs. The partnership between the two middle order bats was 93, a potentially important one of the match. Silva scored his third consecutive half century of the tournament, he scored 59 from 68 with 5 fours. Dilshan got 38 from 41. Dilshan and Silva were caught behind by Dhoni off the bowling of Munaf and Zaheer respectively. A good opportunity to restrict the batting side below 240 was spoilt by bad death bowling from Munaf Patel and Ajit Agarkar. Sri Lanka ended at an impressive 254 for 6 with Arnold and Vaas getting exactly 19 each, both also playing identical number of deliveries. For the Indians, the main bowlers were disappointing, but Ganguly and Tendulkar did well in giving a vital breakthrough each.
Even if Sri Lanka had got anything over 300, the Indian batsmen had to chase that successfully. This is a World Cup and super man efforts are expected from the players. The intensity has to be right there at the top! Robin Uthappa was the first to be sent back, a full blooded cross batted pull shot was caught and bowled by Vaas and that you call as a special effort, not from the batsman, but from the bowler! For no reason in the 11th over, a calm looking Ganguly went for a needless lofted shot only to be caught at mid off brilliantly by Murali, running backwards to his right to take a over head one. India were 43 for 2 in the 11th over and the knock out punch came from Dilhara Fernando. When it really mattered against the real men, Sachin Tendulkar chickened out with a weak forward defence to let an off cutter from Dilhara to travel through his ‘Gateway of India’ to shatter his stumps! Not to mention that it was a third ball duck for the Record Master. India then were 44 for 3 after 11.3 overs!
Mr.Sehwag had to for once was required to put his mind into the situation. He did appear to be doing that in the presence of his skipper Rahul Dravid. There were a few calculated shots played from Viru which paid off and had also released the pressure. But this time it was the turn of the wizard, Murali to produce a gem outside the offstump from round the stumps. One mistake from Virender Sehwag, opening the face of the blade and it was Thank You from first slip, Mahela pocketing an easy catch. Sehwag departed making 48 from 46 with 5 fours and a six, but he could just see India get 98 on the board at the fall of his wicket. There was more disaster to follow which was enough to confirm that the Indian team would soon be back home to get some new Ad shoots. Yuvraj committed hara-kiri, running madly for a non-existing single to be run out and Dhoni was no good in reading Murali off his hand. Dhoni went back and was dead in front of the stumps to a quicker and flatter one from Murali who required just the one ball to send him back to the barber! At 112 for 6 in the 29th over, the writing was on the wall. Dravid did his best in keeping things moving with singles, but everyone knew what was required from him if at all India had to pull off a miracle. A big over from Lasith Malinga saw Dravid pick up four boundaries in five balls. But that was the only time there could have been a possible smile on any Indian cricketer. Dravid in the 38th over chipped down the track to Jayasuriya, a laborious inside out shot it was which landed into the hands of Murali towards widish long off and that was it! For the record, the Captain had scored 60 from 82 with 6 fours, good for his batting average. The innings and the match was wrapped up in the 44th over with India getting bowled out for 185!
It was a team effort from the Sri Lankans, incredibly everyone had a part to play today. The biggest hero was Muralitharan taking two catches and also knocking down three batsmen including the dangerous Sehwag and Dhoni. There were the Bangladeshi team members among the spectators who were giving high fives among themselves as they saw each Indian wicket perish. All Bangla Tigers need to do is have a happy hunting against the men with the big bellies – Bermuda and they are into the next round.