18.31 Now Gary Kirsten's actuality aloft aloft! Virat Kohli accomplishing the donkey work. This is Kirsten's anniversary as abundant as it is anybody's. You could able-bodied altercate that India accept the world's best accomplished band of cricketers. But that's been the case for abounding years now. What Kirsten did was to mould this accumulating - this assembly - of superemely accomplished individuals into a coherent, world-beating whole. Not a detail has been overlooked. Not a convenance affair has been foregone. No best are India admired as one of the best talented, atomic able teams in apple cricket. For that, Kirsten deserves the credit.
18.29 Mohan Tanneeru emails in from Hyderabad: "Like I said, the aggregation did it for themselves, Mr Tendulkar and billions of Indians. And what a game. Able-bodied played Lankan Lions. All I can apprehend in Hyderabad now is firecrackers activity off all around." God, I ambition I was Indian adapted now.
18.27 As Tendulkar continues to be aloft aloft, bliss is gradually giving way to emotion. "They'll be accompany for life," Ian Chappell says. "They've aggregate in article absolute special."
Chris Gayle on Twitter: "Congratulation in orders India!!! Big up!! Able-bodied Played Sri Lanka!!! Sweet Azz Final!!! Drinks on me."
18.26 What a moment for India, one that will bell in every country in the world. But the bigger anniversary of all will be tonight in Mumbai, breadth Sachin Tendulkar is currently actuality agitated about the acreage on the amateur of his team-mates. To be fair, he's not the heaviest of cricketers, Sachin. I noticed cipher was alms to backpack David Boon on their amateur aback he absitively to alarm it a day...
18.22 Harbhajan's in tears! Sreesanth, leave Bhajji alone...
18.21 Tendulkar's gone off piste! He's charging around, whooping for joy, adhering anybody he can see, attractive as activated as I've anytime apparent him. Afterwards a career abiding over two decades, he's assuredly won the bigger award-winning in the game. BANG! Firework alert!
48.2 SIX! IND 277/4INDIA WIN BY SIX WICKETS AND WIN THE 2011 WORLD CUPThe brawl disppears over continued on! Breadth does it land? Cipher knows! Afore it's alive itself in the stand, the Indian players are alive assimilate the field! The flashbulbs are popping! Mumbai explodes! India are apple champions!
48.1 271/4 Yuvraj carves it to point for a quick single. Four to win!
OVER 48: IND 270/4 Dhoni 85* Yuvraj 20*Malinga in again, the alive bobcat roaring in for one final effort. Yuvraj drives his aboriginal out to abysmal added awning for a single. 15 off 17. Bottomward the leg ancillary abutting - I'm abashed to say it's all activity amiss for Sri Lanka - and Dhoni could accept larboard it for a wide, but instead turns it annular the corner, advanced of accomplished leg, and abroad for four! 11 off 16... and the abutting one goes for four, too! Malinga approved a slower ball, and Dhoni about swept it about the corner, an amazing shot, and afresh accomplished leg didn't accept a chance. 7 off 15... Malinga afresh nutmegs Dhoni as he backs away, and the brawl flies through to Sangakkara. 7 off 14... Dhoni chops into the off-side for one more, to accompany the ambition aural one hit. 6 off 13... and the aftermost brawl of the over is flicked by Yuvraj bottomward to long-on for a single. Two overs left, bristles runs to win, and the army are now jumping up and down, their every neuron agog to get the affair started.
OVER 47: IND 259/4 Dhoni 76* Yuvraj 18*Yuvraj tries to accident the awning off the aboriginal ball, but it's able-bodied pitched up, and he can abandoned dig it out to continued on for a single... 26 off 23... the abutting one's abounding and alfresco off stump, and Dhoni smashes it accomplished mid-off for four, four, four! 22 off 22... Dhoni afresh address out the next, sends it hurtling aback accomplished Kulasekara and bottomward to long-on for a single. There's absolutely a analysis as Simon Taufel wants to analysis whether Dhoni had his bat ashore aback the bandy came in, but he's fine... Abounding bung next, and Yuvraj swings it abroad for four! They're accepting closer! 17 bare off 20! Yuvraj gives the abutting the abounding back, sack and crack, but it flies beeline to cover, and there's no run. The aftermost brawl is addition abounding toss, and Yuvraj chips it cautiously bottomward to continued on for addition single. Eleven - eleven runs - from that over. Malinga's acceptable assignment from the aftermost over undone. India allegation 16 from 18 balls.
OVER 46: IND 248/4 Dhoni 71* Yuvraj 12*Malinga starts with a slower ball, and Yuvraj can abandoned advance it to abbreviate added cover. The abutting one's advanced off the off stump, and Yuvraj slashes and misses. Afresh slower from Malinga, Yuvraj drops it into the off ancillary and sets off a run, but Dhoni sends him back. Three dot balls... four dot balls, as Yuvraj can abandoned avert a beeline delivery... He gets the abutting one away, though! Through mid-wicket and they bustle aback for two runs. Firm drive aback accomplished Malinga off the aftermost brawl of the over, and Tharanga comes in from long-on to accumulate them bottomward to a single. A beauteous over by Malinga beneath the circumstances, aloof three off it, and India now allegation 27 from 24 balls. Still not in the bag this, by any amplitude of the imagination. What a accomplishment to a Apple Cup final! Who's activity to basin the aftermost over? It's Kulasekara! What a moment this is! Will India try and barrage him over the top? This abutting over could adjudge the fate of the trophy...
OVER 45: IND 245/4 Dhoni 71* Yuvraj 8*Five singles from Randiv's over, and Sri Lanka attending as admitting they're alive out of annual here. Bristles overs remaining; they will be Powerplay overs, and Lasith Malinga, who has three overs left, will basin the aboriginal of them. 30 bare off 30 assurance as Yuvraj takes strike.
SRI LANKA REVIEW (Yuvraj)Randiv's up for LBW! They're all up! It looked appealing straight, but Aleem Dar gave it not out. Sri Lanka accept no advantage but to review, but the epitomize shows a big central bend from Yuvraj! Not out charcoal the decision!
UMPIRE REVIEW (Dhoni)Direct hit! Sri Lanka anticipate they've got him! It's activity to be boss close... it's one of those breadth he's out in one anatomy and in in the next... and I don't anticipate they can accord him out on this evidence. No, not out, and you apparently heard the barrage from your alive room.
OVER 44: IND 240/4 Dhoni 69* Yuvraj 6*Great shot! Wondrous advance at this date of the game! Abbreviate from Perera - he's been warned about that - and Dhoni aeriform cuts it over, astern point, over abysmal astern point, over the rope, for six runs! That's the aboriginal six of the innings, and it may able-bodied accept bankrupt the accord for India. Perera about cleans him up abutting ball, but Dhoni's central bend cannons into his pad and runs abroad for a single, although Dhoni has to bustle to accomplish his ground. Yuvraj nudges addition distinct - he's been calmness embodied so far - and the over costs eight. Pravin Rajakumar writes: "For the accomplished two amateur Suresh Raina's innings were invaluable for india, although he didn't get abundant credit. I adumbrate he will be the man... as they say about Alan Shearer: 'Cometh the hour, cometh the man'. But what do I know, I've been abetment Holland to win every Apple Cup and European Championship aback 1992, and Newcastle to win the alliance aback 1993." 35 bare off 36 balls.
OVER 43: IND 232/4 Dhoni 62* Yuvraj 5*Randiv hops in for addition over. "Congratulations India!" writes Robert Dumsday. How abounding chickens then, Robert? Seeing as you're in the business of counting them. Dhoni pushes bottomward the arena for a single. Yuvraj works it through the leg-side for another, as a abbreviate added awning comes in for the new batsman. Addition single, and afresh Randiv leaks it bottomward the leg-side, it flicks Yuvraj's pad and runs abroad for a brace of leg byes. Bristles from the over, and India allegation 43 from 42 balls.
OVER 42: IND 227/4 Dhoni 60* Yuvraj 4*Do Sri Lanka accept they can cull this off? Still Raina to appear afterwards this, remember, but afterwards that not a abundant accord in the way of batting. A blooper comes in for the new batsman as Sangakkara whacks his gloves together, exhorting his accuse to accomplish one final push. Yuvraj begins watchfully, arena out three dot balls, but the aftermost brawl is short, Yuvraj sees it early, and whips it able-bodied in advanced of aboveboard for four to affluence the tension! Disappointing final commitment from Perera, who was abutting to authoritative his aboriginal over aback a wicket maiden. 48 adapted from 48 balls, and we're activity to see addition brawl change.
WICKET! Gambhir b Perera 97 (122) IND 223/4Oh, what a shame! Gambhir trudges aback disconsolately afterwards a admirable innings! It was asleep beeline from Perera, bowling over the wicket to the left-hander, and as Gambhir backed abroad to try and accomplish allowance for a cut, he artlessly absent the brawl and it agape aback his boilerplate stump. A huge acclaim for Gambhir, who's taken his ancillary to the border of achievement but bootless to see his aggregation home or himself to a century. Yuvraj Singh is the new batsman. Is there still a aberration in this game?
OVER 41: IND 223/3 Gambhir 97* Dhoni 60*Randiv's been one of Sri Lanka's bigger bowlers this evening, actually. Bowling to Gambhir, he's accepting the brawl to chaw from about a middle-and-leg butt line, so Gambhir can't flick him to leg with any aplomb unless Randiv absolutely spears it bottomward the leg side. Which he does there, and Gambhir can booty an accessible distinct to move to 97. Abounding bung from Randiv, which Dhoni can abandoned assignment beeline back. Aloof two off the over, then, and the blueprint is 52 from 54 balls.
OVER 40: IND 221/3 Gambhir 96* Dhoni 59*Just as it all went amiss for Tendulkar earlier, Murali's admiral accept to be deserting him at the point aback they would accept been of greatest service. A big leg-side advanced that Sangakkara does able-bodied to stop activity for five, and afresh Dhoni smites him through added awning for four, threading the brawl in amidst the man at awning and the fielder alive annular at long-off. Aloof the latest in a alternation of accomplished acclamation from the Indian captain. Gambhir afresh nudges the brawl beeline to astern point, Kapugedera misfields and allows a single, and afresh his bandy runs abroad for an overthrow. Two runs from a brawl that should accept produced none. A affronted Muralitharan demands an explanation. Kapugedera doesn't accept one. Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. 54 bare off the aftermost ten overs as Randiv returns. Dhoni's taken the helmet off now to acknowledge a forehead decrepit with sweat.
OVER 39: IND 210/3 Gambhir 93* Dhoni 52*Malinga's analytic for those yorkers. Gambhir and Dhoni accumulate them out, and booty a distinct each. Gambhir address out another, and a huge allotment flies off the toe of his bat. There's a slight aperture as Gambhir waits for a backup bat to be brought out, afore he runs one bottomward to third man for addition single. Addition distinct to Dhoni and addition to Gambhir, either ancillary of a leg-side wide. 65 off 66 balls, and you faculty it's aloof bottomward abroad from Sri Lanka here. "What happens if they tie?" asks Andrew Clark. "Is there alike a tie in cricket? This is rather exciting." If the array are tied, we go to a Cool Over. Anniversary ancillary picks three batsmen and one bowler and they get one over anniversary to annual as abounding as they can. If you lose two wickets, you're all out.
OVER 38: IND 204/3 Gambhir 90* Dhoni 50*Big moment, this. Muralitharan's advancing back. It's adamantine to accept we won't see him trotting in afresh for Sri Lanka, won't see that arch little action, the arm advancing over not absolutely straight, but aural 15 degrees, those huge goggly eyes anchored on their target. Gloucestershire admirers are in for a amusement aback he comes to comedy for them afterwards this summer. Well, this absolutely is it for Sri Lanka. Malinga and Murali in operation. If Sri Lanka don't get a wicket now, they're sunk. Dhoni knocks the brawl into the off-side for two, which he follows with a single. Gambhir nudges the brawl to mid-wicket for addition single, which brings up the 200. But Muralitharan's aftermost is abbreviate and sits up for hitting, and Dhoni crunches it adamantine through the covers for four! That's a huge draft for Sri Lanka, and it's Dhoni's fifty. He's in such a cushion of absorption that he didn't alike realise until the army babble alerted him to it. 71 bare off 72 assurance as Malinga steams in again.
OVER 37: IND 196/3 Gambhir 89* Dhoni 43*Dhoni shoves Malinga's aboriginal through the covers for two runs. You can't brainstorm either batsman demography abundant of a accident adjoin Malinga, possibly the one man who can still win this bold in one fell swoop. Abbreviate from Malinga, and Dhoni plays this one bravely, swivelling it bottomward abaft aboveboard and afresh advancing aback for the second. The big yorker's coming, mark my words. There it is, and Dhoni squirts it amidst his legs and bottomward through astern aboveboard leg for addition single. Bristles off the over, India allegation 79 off 78 balls, but the artifice thickens. Dhoni's disturbing with cramp. He's lying decumbent on the accommodation at the moment, while the Indian physio tries to do whatever it is you do aback addition gets cramp. Dhoni gets rather calculating to his feet, and acutely he's activity to bat on. It's not absolutely the best time for the captain to be putting his anxiety up, to be honest.
Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "India are block these runs with complete ease. The affair of all parties will be starting soon..."
OVER 36: IND 191/3 Gambhir 89* Dhoni 38*Another accomplished advance from Dhoni! Abbreviate and advanced from Randiv, and he cuts it adamantine in advanced of aboveboard for four! The army roar, but not as audibly as they were earlier. The arduous astriction of the bearings appears to accept arctic anybody comatose. You daren't move a muscle. Dhoni's absolutely best out the added awning region, and bunts addition brace of runs in that area. Eight off the over, and India are adapted on clue now. 84 off 84 balls, and Kumar Sangakkara has aloof hit the 'gamble' button. Aback into the advance comes Lasith Malinga, with Sri Lanka now fundamentally atrocious for a wicket.
OVER 35: IND 183/3 Gambhir 88* Dhoni 31*Short from Kulasekara, and Gambhir smashes it over mid-wicket for four! He was attractive for that gap, and aback the befalling arose he committed absolutely to the shot, accepted adamantine and aloof about allowance the man in the circle. Gambhir's attractive absolute assured absolutely now, and he drives the aftermost brawl bottomward to long-off for an accessible single. We're 15 overs from the end of the Apple Cup, and we still accept no abstraction who's activity to win it. 92 runs needed. This is activity to be a affronted finish, whatever happens. It's all we could accept asked for.
OVER 34: IND 175/3 Gambhir 83* Dhoni 29*On comes Randiv. He's bowled adequately decently, actually, and out of all the bowlers so far he's managed to abstract the best abetment from the pitch. Gambhir gets bottomward on one knee and tries to paddle ambit over his shoulder. The brawl flies bottomward to abbreviate accomplished leg, Murali hobbles in from the boundary, Gambhir spots who's accomplishing the fielding and confidently makes it aback for a second. India allegation absolutely 100 with 96 assurance remaining. It'll be close, but you faculty India accept aloof belted their noses in advanced here. The affiliation is now a absolute accessible 61 from 74 balls.
Derek Pringle on Twitter: "Sanga's acreage settings acceptance India too abounding accessible singles - no burden actuality created added than by the expectations of the nation"
OVER 33: IND 170/3 Gambhir 79* Dhoni 23*The camera focuses on a accumulation of about 15 Australian fans, all adorned in gold shirts. They attending as admitting they're adequate themselves, but they'll accept a abhorrent shock tomorrow aback they realise Australia weren't playing. Kulasekara returns, and concedes bristles runs from his over. 105 bare from 102 balls. Let's aloof do a few sums. Seventeen overs left. Malinga has bristles to bowl; Muralitharan four. The added eight overs, I feel, are activity to adjudge this Apple Cup. Kulasekara has four more, but you wouldn't appetite him aural fifty yards of a Powerplay, not with the nice, dank breadth he bowls. Perera has three - I wouldn't about-face to him either - Randiv has six, and Dilshan has five. I'd accord Dilshan a few, because of his acquaintance if annihilation else, but you get some faculty of the calibration of Sangakkara's problem. By the time Malinga comes on to basin the aftermost five, this bold could already be gone.
OVER 32: IND 165/3 Gambhir 79* Dhoni 23*Another aces advance by Dhoni! I acquaint you what, the attending of astute absorption in his eyes absolutely is absolutely something. He's appropriately in the zone. This was a blow abbreviate by Perera, but at this date the affectionate of brawl that you artlessly assault bottomward to abysmal point for a single. Instead. Dhoni picks it up aboriginal abundant to footfall beyond and accident it able-bodied in advanced of square, bottomward to abysmal added awning for four! I'm not absolutely abiding Perera's the adapted best here, but what can Sangakkara do? Abandoned Malinga and Muralitharan accept absolutely looked like stymieing the breeze of runs so far, and they accept to be adored for the closing stages. Seven off the over, and Perera gets a tad advantageous as he chucks bottomward a rank abounding bung that startles Dhoni a little, and he can abandoned advance it aback bottomward the pitch. 110 bare off 108 assurance as the players booty drinks.
OVER 31: IND 157/3 Gambhir 77* Dhoni 17*Ah, what a advance that is by Dhoni! It's not all that abbreviate from Muralitharan, but it doesn't about-face a abundant accord either, and Dhoni can artlessly bend tall, use Murali's round-the-wicket angle, and beef it through the covers for four. That's a actively acceptable advance to a adequately adapted delivery. Siddharth Vaidyanathan has emailed aback to let me apperceive that he is not the acclaimed candid writer, aloof an accustomed joe who gets a bit balked aback he Googles his own name.
OVER 30: IND 151/3 Gambhir 76* Dhoni 12*Perera returns. Dhoni clips the brawl abaft aboveboard and does able-bodied to hunt aback for a second. Addition distinct follows. Dhoni consistently looks so unflappable, doesn't he? He's the affectionate of guy you appetite carrying bad news. Gambhir scampers a leg bye to accompany up the 150, and that wakes the army up a little. Addition distinct to Dhoni off the last, bristles off the over, and both abandon will be adequately annoyed with that. Right, 124 bare off the aftermost 20 overs. Unbelievably tense, this.
OVER 29: IND 146/3 Gambhir 76* Dhoni 8*Just the one over for Malinga afore Muralitharan is adequate to the attack. "What array of clip are the Indians on?" asks Andrew Clark. "Will they appear close?" If the Indians bat flawlessly, they could win this about easily. Assuming they abandoned bat well, I annual this could get abundantly close. A brace of quick wickets, though, and it's adamantine to see the lower adjustment affairs it off. Still affluence of batting to appear for India, though, and the run rate's still aural range. India's access over the aftermost few overs could best be summarised as 'watchful with the odd access of caprice'. They're still aggravating to belt the bad ball, but they're not busting a gut aggravating to bright the ropes with so abounding singles still on offer. Four singles from Muralitharan's over.
OVER 28: IND 142/3 Gambhir 74* Dhoni 6*Well ability we hope, Virgil. Aback was the aftermost time we saw a absolutely acceptable Apple Cup final? 2003 was exhilarating, but rarely, if at all, was the aftereffect in doubt. Sri Lanka in 1996 was a apathetic burner, but De Silva's analytic finishing did accept an air of authoritativeness about it. There's no such authoritativeness here. Gambhir flicks Dilshan for two through mid-wicket, afore dancing bottomward the bend and aggravating to bang him over the top and accepting an central bend that Sangakkara can't acknowledge to in time! The brawl scuttles bottomward to accomplished leg for four. Eight off the over, and India allegation 133 off 132 balls.
Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "135 for 3. 23 overs to go. Could be an complete classic..."
OVER 27: IND 134/3 Gambhir 67* Dhoni 5*Malinga allotment at a astute date of the game. A little flurry of wickets from him could able-bodied adjudge the game. Gambhir and Dhoni bandy singles, and has Malinga activate a little blow of about-face exhausted here? You don't tend to get a abundant accord at Mumbai, but if you can aloof get it to appendage an inch, at Malinga's clip that's about all you need. You faculty the big yorker is coming... and Gambhir squeezes it abroad off the bend for four! That's the aboriginal abuttals for bristles overs! "This bout is assertive nicely," Siddharth Vaidyanathan writes. Adhere on... the Siddharth Vaidyanathan? One of India's best admired candid writers? He continues: "Dhoni acknowledgment himself up the adjustment to advance the left/right combination, and because Yuvraj and Raina are apparent as acceptable finishers. He's additionally demography on the albatross of shepherding the aggregation through the innings. Inactive neurons absolutely are acceptable added alive - adverse for Kohli, but Gambhir has played a gem here."
OVER 26: IND 128/3 Gambhir 62* Dhoni 4*Charles Rycroft writes: "Wondering aback was the aftermost time Sehwag and Sachin had a accumulated annual of beneath than 20 - and is this why April is absolutely the cruellest month?" I'm sorry, the advertence is absent on me. Shamefully, I've apprehend hardly any of the alleged 'classics' of literature. We were fabricated to apprehend a little at school, but at absolutely an aboriginal date I apparent that you could artlessly watch the TV adjustment and get the accomplished book in abandoned an hour. To this day, aback addition asks me what I anticipate of Abundant Expectations, I'm apt to answer: "Great costumes." Four singles off Dilshan's over - you haven't absent one of the best abundant overs there - and my aide Ed Ballard identifies 'April is the cruellest month' as the aboriginal band of TS Eliot's The Wasteland. Not watched that one, actually.
OVER 25: IND 124/3 Gambhir 60* Dhoni 2*Murali may not be bonds in as agilely as he's acclimated to, he may not be alternating those achievement as agilely as normal, but by George, he can still do a job. Aloof two runs off that over. Neither Gambhir nor Dhoni (nor Kohli, aback he was in) absolutely looked to advance Muralitharan.
OVER 24: IND 122/3 Gambhir 59* Dhoni 1*Hang on. Why did Dhoni appear in rather than Yuvraj? I'd rather disregarded that... Whoever it is at the crease, it's astute that India accumulate the runs alive alike as they rebuild. That adapted rate's aloof aggressive to blow its arch aloft the run-a-ball mark. Bristles runs off Dilshan's over. Vikram Singh Chauhan warms to the medical theme: "My affectionate overdrive (on seeing Virat and Gambhir bat) has acquired my assault to exhausted 120 beats/minute, approved rhythm, aeriform aggregate (almost evocative of astringent aortic regurgitation). I abhorrence that I ability aloof accept a bookish intraparenchymal breach at this rate. In which case, the neurons in the blah and white amount alfresco of the breadth of haemorrhage will accept to become added active. I'm worried..." Note to all my readers: I adulation you all. But abnormally you, Vikram Singh Chauhan.
OVER 23: IND 117/3 Gambhir 55* Dhoni 0*We're yet to see any absolute abracadabra from Muralitharan. He's advancing in from about the wicket, accepting some adapted about-face but disturbing to hit a constant length. Dhoni tries to boost abroad a abounding commitment on leg stump, and gets a leg bye - he's still yet to get off the mark - and Gambhir, aloft whom so abundant now rests, cuts a abbreviate commitment out to the point abuttals for addition single.
OVER 22: IND 115/3 Gambhir 54* Dhoni 0*And Dhoni's about addled aboriginal ball! He plays and misses, Sangakkara can't booty it cleanly, and Dhoni had aloof abject his aback basal out of the crease! The batsmen run a bye and Dhoni keeps the strike. Has that wicket angry the bold Sri Lanka's way again? Break acquainted to this one, I'd activity there's a few added twists in this yet...
WICKET! Kohli c&b Dilshan 35 (49) IND 114/3Oh, astute wicket! Out of nothing! Absolutely nothing! A admirable acknowledgment bolt by Dilshan, who was brought aback to breach this affiliation and hasn't disappointed! Kohli tries to flick a adequately abounding commitment to leg, gets a arch edge, and it flies to Dilshan's right, about beeline at non-striker Gambhir. Instinctively, Gambhir got out of the way, but he apparently anticipation it would go for runs. Instead, Dilshan leapt to his adapted and plucked the brawl out of the air with one hand! Brilliant catch!
OVER 21: IND 109/2 Gambhir 53* Kohli 31*Archana Venkatraman enjoyed my Lancet over. "Now," he asks, "could we see some PG Wodehouse-style updates, or alike Shakespearean-style? That could be fun." Is this a half-tracker I see afore me... I was on Analysis Bout Sofa the added week, actually, and one of their commentators, Dan Norcross, about does absolute overs in the appearance of Winston Churchill. It's hilarious. Aloof four singles from Muralitharan's over.
OVER 20: IND 105/2 Gambhir 51* Kohli 29*Really big about-face from Randiv - added than Muralitharan managed in his aboriginal over, and Gambhir's arena him watchfully. But afterwards demography a single, Randiv beasts assimilate Kohli's pads, and gets flicked absolute accomplished bottomward to Malinga at accomplished leg, who runs round, puts the dive in, and dives beeline over it! Four runs! At what point does Sangakkara alpha to worry? None of his bowlers accept absolutely looked like endlessly the breeze of runs, and the run amount is still absolute acquiescent indeed. "With Randiv's breadth of name, if he was anytime ill in hospital, by the time the doctors had accounting his name he would accept snuffed it," observes Peter Rowntree.
OVER 19: IND 99/2 Gambhir 50* Kohli 24*Here's Murali! He may be bruised in on bisected a leg, but cipher could possibly begrudge him a abode on the bigger date of all. Now! What can he do? He starts with a dot ball. Gambhir afresh knocks the brawl into the off-side and hurries aback for two. He could be in agitation here! The bandy comes in to Sangakkara, who fumbles it! Heads on easily for Sri Lanka there, Gambhir was feature on the dive and from the looks of the Sri Lankan fielders, he was struggling. Gambhir turns one to mid-wicket to accompany up a accomplished fifty, off aloof 56 balls. Adapted about-face for Murali, and that's a abiding start. Aloof three off his aboriginal over.
OVER 18: IND 96/2 Gambhir 47* Kohli 24*Gambhir goes big! Randiv has aloof been amphibian them bottomward rather, and this time he picks a adapted breadth ball, gets bottomward on one knee, and slaps it over mid-wicket for four! One animation and over the rope! He follows up with a distinct bottomward to mid-wicket, and there are addition bristles runs off that over.
OVER 17: IND 91/2 Gambhir 42* Kohli 24*Here's Dilshan advancing on for his aboriginal bowl. He begins with a big advanced bottomward the leg ancillary - ooof, that's abhorrent - and it cannons off Sangakkara's pads for three wides. It's a adequately bound over, though, aloof bristles runs advancing from it. Where's your money now? Can anyone alike advance to acknowledgment that catechism until Murali's had a bowl?
OVER 16: IND 86/2 Gambhir 41* Kohli 23*It will be observed, from the bare circling of the accept collective as Accommodating Randiv shuffles appear the bowling crease, that he is a bowler of the off-break variety, amidst 25 and 27 years of age. He does, however, ache from astute conciseness of breadth at times, which allows a batsman such as Virat Kohli to cut abroad to abysmal point for a single. However, aback the accommodating adapted his breadth to the awkward Gambhir, a agnate aftereffect was empiric - a single, tucked off his tibial region. If, instead, we beam a afterwards movement of the cut achievement from the batsman - a 'late cut', if you will, afresh the brawl will tend to run abroad at a bigger angle, bottomward to third man for two runs.
OVER 15: IND 81/2 Gambhir 40* Kohli 19*Perera charcoal a altogether anatomic over by spraying it bottomward the leg side, and Gambhir's far too acceptable a amateur to absence out on that, flicking it abroad accomplished for four! The fifty affiliation comes up off 53 balls, and India's admirers could hardly accept asked for a bigger acknowledgment to those two aboriginal wickets. 40 runs came off the fielding Powerplay. Now, Shwetha Jain writes in with an affinity that's absolutely far too academician for this humble, Dan-Brown-level alive blog. "With the two important wickets, we accept absent hope, but wait. It's aloof not Sachin and Sehwag's Apple Cup. In a abashed system, aback assertive neurons get damaged, the neighbouring neurons become added alive to atone for the inactivity. Now we will see if the added neurons booty up the responsibility." Acceptable grief, Shwetha. Are you abiding you didn't blunder assimilate The Lancet's Apple Cup alive blog by mistake? The abutting over wil be delivered in the appearance of The Lancet.
OVER 14: IND 72/2 Gambhir 33* Kohli 17*Michael Easily writes: "Jonathan, we're into the 13th over and you're still in 11. Amuse blazon faster." No, Michael, amuse apprehend slower. He's a adequately accepted off-break bowler, Randiv - anticipate of him as an exotically-named James Tredwell. His abounding name is Hewa Kaluhalamullage Suraj Randiv Kaluhalamulla, which apparently explains why he's so rarely best for the side. That's not the affectionate of name you appetite to accept to apprehend out in advanced of a roomful of people. Now. Now! Is that a drop? It is, but it's clumsily acrid on Kulasekara to put it adjoin his name. Gambhir backed abroad and approved to lift it into the crowd, but watched in abhorrence as it sailed in the administration of Kulasekara at long-off. He bankrupt in on the ball, but as it died, aloof couldn't absolutely get his easily beneath it. Gambhir gets a activity - he would accept been put in the stocks if he'd asleep like that - and four runs appear from the over.
OVER 13: IND 68/2 Gambhir 30* Kohli 16*Perera accustomed addition over. Breadth on apple is our Murali? Perera bowls addition about OK over besmirched by a brace of leg-side wides. Kohli nudges the brawl into mid-wicket and hurries aback for two to accompany the absolute for the over to seven. Now, we're activity to see our aboriginal circuit of the innings, but calm yourself, it's abandoned Suresh Randiv. It's a bit like cat-and-mouse for a Led Zeppelin concert to begin, the lights activity down, and afresh seeing The Script airing assimilate the stage.
OVER 12: IND 61/2 Gambhir 28* Kohli 13*Kulasekara's aloof aggravating to adhere the brawl a little added alfresco Gambhir's off-stump, aggravating to abet him into an aeriform drive. Gambhir finds the gap there and picks up a single, addition distinct to Kohli, and afresh Gambhir launches one! Four runs! He makes a little allowance and smashes the brawl through the covers - at a catchable height, but safe. Gambhir aloof looks to be abating up now, and he moves to 28 off 36 balls. The aftermost one's abbreviate from Kulasekara, and Kohli top-edges the bend annular the awning for four more! Afterwards a spell of aloof nine runs in bristles overs, India accept stormed aback with 26 in the aftermost three. Numbers.
OVER 11: IND 50/2 Gambhir 22* Kohli 8*Doraiswami Ramkrishna writes: "Jonathan: your website claims face-lifting every minute but it does not accept to be so!" Why do I feel like a acclimated car salesman who's aloof flogged addition an L-reg Escort with a dodgy gearbox? The website's not wrong, Doraiswami - it does amend every 60 seconds, it's aloof that I don't. Gambhir comes bottomward the clue to Perera and flicks the brawl alluringly through mid-wicket for four. Perera pulls his breadth aback and Gambhir stands up and flicks it off his hip for two more. Kohli on bang now, and aw, that's a bit mean. He knows Murali's disturbing with his groin, so he hits the brawl beeline to him at mid-on and runs an accessible single. Murali strains his acrid joints to get to the ball, but he misses it completely, and the batsmen can bolt a second. Shame on you, Virat Kohli. That's no way to amusement one of the greatest chuckers in the history of cricket. Nine off the over.
OVER 10: IND 41/2 Gambhir 15* Kohli 6*Kohli's away. It took him 11 balls, but that was annual the wait, a abstract little flick off his pads for four as Kulasekara beasts in band a tad. Kohli afresh chops him through astern point for two more, and he's altogether blessed to comedy out the blow of the over. He absolutely is in this for the continued haul, is Kohli. End of the tenth over, and Sri Lanka anon booty the fielding Powerplay.
OVER 9: IND 35/2 Gambhir 15* Kohli 0*Perera allotment from the added end. Gambhir nudges him abaft point for a couple, but Sri Lanka accept activated the brakes absolute accurately here. It's commonly far too aboriginal to be annoying about run rate, but India do allegation to accumulate an eye out, as it's nudging appear a run a brawl already. Aloof two from that over. "Yes, it is sad to see Mr Tendulkar airing off in affliction in possibly his aftermost Apple Cup innings," writes Mohan Tanneeru. "Now it will be up to his aggregation to win it for him, and what a accolade would it be. I achievement they do and I anticipate they can do it."
OVER 8: IND 33/2 Gambhir 13* Kohli 0*A big accost to anybody in Jabalpur, from breadth Vikram Singh Chauhan writes: "It seems like the 1992 final revisited. The access in the final overs by the ancillary batting aboriginal to put up a alarming total, and the aboriginal accident of an opener for the ancillary batting second. It looks absolute abundant like SL accept it in the bag, what with India's abundantly breakable batting agency and SL's abundantly hard-to-get-away bowling." Huge burden on Virat Kohli's amateur as Kulasekara comes aback into the attack. Gambhir nudges abroad a distinct through mid-wicket, but Kohli can't get off the mark from any of his four balls, and there is aloof one run from the over. Abandoned seven runs from the aftermost four overs. So, how do you become the world's cardinal one bowler admitting accepting abandoned taken two four-wicket hauls in eight years? Relentless accuracy. Kulasekara's run to apple cardinal one came off the aback of a brace of outstanding alternation in 2009 against... um, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, aback he about went for added than two runs an over. Fine. So he's a simple, wicket-to-wicket, line-and-length merchant. Best bowler in the world, though? Accord me a break. He's slipped bottomward to fifth aback then, but still.
OVER 7: IND 32/2 Gambhir 12* Kohli 0*It was Malinga's aberrant bend of commitment that did for Tendulkar. His adapted arm comes over from about anon in band with boilerplate stump, so aback the brawl pitches alfresco off, as it did there, it absolutely moves added abroad appear the off-side the added it travels. Tendulkar bootless to annual for this aback he collection at the ball, which explains why it took the bend admitting not abnormal in the bend or the air. A simple misjudgement by Tendulkar. Virat Kohli in now. Malinga bowls a wide, but Kohli can't get off the mark.
WICKET! Tendulkar c Sangakkara b Malinga 18 (14) IND 31/2Malinga stares beeline into the eyes of Destiny and gives it a abrupt bang in the nuts! Tendulkar wafts at a added one from Malinga alfresco the off stump, gets a huge alfresco edge, and Sangakkara tumbles to his adapted to booty the catch! Unbridled joy from the Sri Lankan fielders, who run in agrarian circles as if they've aloof absolved Sachin Tendulkar in the Apple Cup final. The home fans, meanwhile, are crushed. Ashamed and stunned. Tendulkar boring walks off the field, possibly the aftermost time we'll see him in a Apple Cup.
OVER 6: IND 31/1 Tendulkar 18* Gambhir 12*It's been one of the constant anomalies of one-day all-embracing candid that Nuwan Kulasekara was already ranked cardinal one bowler in the world, accustomed that whenever I've apparent him basin he's seemed to accept the unmistakeable aroma of a bazaar own-brand Alan Mullally. Perera starts able-bodied - he's a good, honest, seam-up bowler - and induces an all-embracing aboveboard drive from Gambhir that goes through astern point in the air for four runs!
OVER 5: IND 27/1 Tendulkar 18* Gambhir 8*Malinga does get addition over, and it's a acceptable one. Intelligent breadth to Gambhir, alms him annihilation to drive and aloof aggressive to appendage the brawl aback into his pads. He chucks in a adept middle-stump yorker - hardly slower, to draw the drive - that Gambhir watches and address out for a single. Aftermost brawl to Tendulkar... and he's baffled alfresco the off-stump. Aloof one off the over. Kulasekara gets the cossack afterwards two overs for 16, and Thisara Perera is handed the ball.
Nick Hoult on Twitter: "Murali is affective like a man who retired ten years ago"
OVER 4: IND 26/1 Tendulkar 18* Gambhir 7*Gambhir's been attractive to drag bottomward the bend to Kulasekara, so Sangakkara comes up to the stumps as Kulasekara begins his additional over. Gambhir nudges addition distinct into the off-side - he tends to comedy absolute accurately and absolute beeline at the alpha of his innings - and afresh Tendulkar afresh picks the gap in the off-side acreage and gets two. Kulasekara straightens his line, and Tendulkar drives him - blithely - bottomward the arena for four! It was the abridgement of movement that was so absorbing there, he artlessly backed his eye and his timing, and the brawl adequately exploded off the bat. The abutting ball's wide, and Tendulkar cuts it abroad through astern point for addition four! India are counter-attacking here!
OVER 3: IND 15/1 Tendulkar 8* Gambhir 6*Malinga's so absolutely up for this. He's affecting the low 90s in agreement of pace, and bouncing aback to his mark as if he's spent the absolute innings breach crunching amoroso cubes. Gambhir pushes a distinct into the off-side, Tendulkar flicks a beeline commitment bottomward to mid-wicket for two, and afresh he pushes into the gap in the covers and gets addition two. These two are absolutely acrimonious up Malinga's breadth adequately quickly, and accepting fabricated the breakthrough, it wouldn't abruptness me to see him hauled out of the advance and kept in the buffet for later.
OVER 2: IND 10/1 Tendulkar 4* Gambhir 6*Kulasekara to booty the new ball, and Sachin's abroad in his additional Apple Cup final with a distinct steered into the off side, aboveboard of the wicket. Gambhir runs a leg bye, and afresh Tendulkar drives through the covers to a colossal barrage from the home crowd! He'll hunt aback for three. Gambhir pushes addition distinct off the aftermost to move India into bifold figures. You can't booty your eyes off this for a minute. Do accumulate your emails advancing in, folks.
OVER 1: IND 4/1 Tendulkar 0* Gambhir 4*Sorry for arising that wicket on you, everyone, but what a alpha for Sri Lanka! Again, Sehwag chose to analysis the accommodation afterwards consulting Tendulkar, and if India get a abhorrent accommodation in the 49th over afterwards application up both of their reviews, that abstinent allotment of arrogance will be revisited. Gambhir clips his aboriginal brawl off his legs... and gets four! That's animated the Wankhede up a touch. Still, Sri Lanka went into the innings breach with all the momentum, and they've roared into the additional innings.
WICKET! Sehwag lbw Malinga 0Sehwag gone! You can apprehend a pin bead bottomward Marine Drive. Malinga fires in a quick, beeline one and Sehwag is angled aback in his bulge by the pace. The analysis takes its time but he was erect as anything.
14.15 Well, that's how to bat. It wasn't a abundant alpha by Sri Lanka, and a billion bodies will accept been assault their aperture at the anticipation of ambience their batsmen apart on a bashful total. But aboriginal Sangakkara, afresh Jayawardene, and assuredly Kulasekara and Perera absorbed jump leads to the nipples of the innings, timing their allegation to perfection, authoritative abounding use of the Powerplay, and abrogation India with an empty, abandoned activity as they absolved off the field. Beneath accustomed circumstances, with the bend absolute appealing good, you'd apprehend India to hunt these. But it's beneath lights, adjoin Sri Lanka's chic bowling attack. Oh, and it's in a Apple Cup final. India will accept to bat very, very, absolute able-bodied absolutely to get these. I'm aloof activity to nip abroad for about 10-15 account (India's abhorrent over amount acid into my breach time), but I'll leave you with one stat: Jayawardene's aeon was the sixth in a Apple Cup final. All bristles antecedent century-makers accomplished on the acceptable side. Also, nobody's anytime chased this abounding to win a Apple Cup final. Two stats. And the accomplished acknowledged hunt at the Wankhede is aloof 229. Three. Three stats... I'll appear in again.
Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "Rather be in the Sri Lanka camp. How to blemish a affair involving a billion people...?"
OVER 50: SL 274/6 Jayawardene 103 (88)* Perera 22 (9)*Perera absolutely gives the aboriginal brawl some welly, but it goes beeline to Kohli on the long-off boundary, and the batsmen jog a single. Jayawardene backs away, Zaheer follows him, and Jayawardene address it out of the block aperture and steers it bottomward to abbreviate third man for addition single. Afterwards accepting austere in that aftermost over, Zaheer's ambidextrous about abandoned in yorkers and low abounding tosses now, but Perera was assured that one, and carves it through the covers for four! Top shot! Six off three assurance so far... and addition low abounding bung from Zaheer that Perera bunts over the arch of mid-on for addition four! Zaheer drags his breadth back, Perera swings it out to abysmal mid-wicket, and Jayawardene scrambles aback to complete the additional run! This absolutely has been a cool batting affectation by Sri Lanka. Aftermost ball... and Perera smites it aeriform over mid-wicket for six! Amazing! Eighteen off the over! Sixty-three off the Powerplay! Sri Lanka are adapted in this game! Conceivably alike favourites! Jayawardene and Perera airing off to a... well, a adequately aeriform reception, to be honest. But how beautifully set up is this bold now?
OVER 49: SL 256/6 Jayawardene 102* Perera 5*Thisara Perera, a young, accent awkward all-rounder, comes to the bulge with Harbhajan to bowl. Jayawardene takes a distinct off the first, and Perera gets off the mark with a accomplished distinct bottomward to continued off. Jayawardene flicks the brawl to mid-wicket for addition single, and afresh Perera swings his arms, smashing Harbhajan over the top and accomplished continued on for four runs! This is admirable Powerplay batting by Sri Lanka, and a leg bye brings the absolute off the over to eight. Sri Lanka are closing in on a absolutely able absolute here, with one over larboard that Zaheer Khan will bowl.
OVER 48: WICKET! Kulasekara run out (Dhoni) 31 SL 248/6Kulasekara swings the aboriginal six of the final aeriform over mid-wicket! That sailed a abounding 87 metres, beeline into the crowd, and Zaheer pays for dishing up a breadth commitment at this stage. Kulasekara's played affably able-bodied aback advancing in, and that abuttals brings up the fifty partnership. A distinct bottomward to mid-on brings Jayawardene aback assimilate strike, and he gets advantageous there! It's short, Jayawardene gloves his hook, and the brawl flies aloof out of the ability of Dhoni for two runs! That takes him to 92, and afresh a admirable aeriform cut over abbreviate third man takes him to 96! Afterwards eulogising Zaheer earlier, I've got to accept that this isn't the cleverest over from him. Breadth again, and Jayawardene swings him aeriform over awning for four to ability his century! A august innings from Jayawardene, who came in with Sri Lanka in a absolute bind but who has put them adapted in this final. He tries to accumulate the bang off the aftermost brawl as the brawl flicks off his pad, and Kulasekara sacrifices himself as Dhoni's underarm bandy hits the stumps! Kulasekara departs afterwards a cool affiliation of 66 from 49 balls, but that over amount 17.
OVER 47: SL 231/5 Jayawardene 90* Kulasekara 25*Short from Munaf, and Kulasekara hooks it abroad for his aboriginal boundary! It wasn't middled, but accomplished leg was in the amphitheater and the man at abysmal aboveboard couldn't absolutely brazier annular in time. A distinct into the leg side, and afresh Jayawardene backs abroad and slashes over the block for four! I doubtable Jayawardene was aggravating to hit that a acceptable accord squarer than he absolutely did, but with third man in the amphitheater it was consistently a high-percentage shot. Munaf spots Kulasekara abetment away, and follows him with a absolute leg-stump yorker that Kulasekara can abandoned dig out. The aftermost ball's a slower one, and Kulasekara's ablaze bang trickles abroad for one. Eleven off the over.
OVER 46: SL 220/5 Jayawardene 85* Kulasekara 19*Kulasekara tries to advance a abbreviate brawl over aboveboard leg aboriginal up, he doesn't absolutely get all of it, and the brawl loops up in the air and bottomward to abysmal mid-wicket for one. Jayawardene with a added controlled cull for one, and afresh addition distinct for Kulasekara as he backs away, Zaheer follows him, and he pulls it bottomward to abysmal mid-wicket already more. A absolute yorker abutting up, with Jayawardene calmly address out for a single. Still no dizzying assailment from these two, as Kulasekara pushes addition distinct into the on-side. And that's a advance by Jayawardene! Zaheer strives for the yorker again, Jayawardene's cat-and-mouse for it, and manages to beacon it through the covers for four. And that, ladies and gentlemen, but abnormally you, Andy Flower, is how you booty nine overs from a Powerplay over afterwards activity postal. Munaf to bowl.
OVER 45: SL 211/5 Jayawardene 79* Kulasekara 16*Six off the over afterwards too abounding advisedly at all. What's been absolutely hasty is the abridgement of absolutely big shots so far. Jayawardene's been able to annual at added or beneath a run a brawl afterwards a big advance over the top. It's all been timing and those able little astern cuts. A complete effort, but if Sri Lanka end up falling abbreviate you account whether they could accept gone bigger earlier. They'll accept to accept a go now, though. It's batting Powerplay time, and Zaheer, you assume, is activity to basin three of those. What's a adapted total? 250, I reckon, is still a minimum, but they charge accumulate wickets in hand.
OVER 44: SL 205/5 Jayawardene 77* Kulasekara 12*Kulasekara tries to cull a beneath delivery, miscues it and gets one. Advanced and abounding from Munaf, and Jayawardene swings his accoutrements and aboveboard drives it beeline to Kohli at astern point... who lets the brawl abscond beneath him! Four runs! India accept fielded admirably so far, but that's a absolute howler by Kohli, who was aloof ascent from his abject attitude aloof as the brawl raced alternating the arena appear him. Addition distinct dabbed bottomward to third man, and it's six from the over. The ball's actuality afflicted afresh for some reason. Will Jayawardene booty the Powerplay? No, he won't. Harbhajan to continue.
INDIA REVIEW (Kulasekara)Wide from Munaf, cut by Kulasekara, and Dhoni is bawl for a angled behind! Kohli's additionally up, but Munaf doesn't accept absolutely as convinced. Aleem Dar befuddled his head, but we're now watching from every angle... There's no arresting aberration - there rarely anytime is - but is that a slight babble as the butt microphones are angry up? Possibly, but can you accord the batsman out on the backbone of 'possibly'? Possibly not. Aleem Dar after-effects his accoutrements for a asleep ball, and the aboriginal not out accommodation stands. That's India's aftermost review.
OVER 43: SL 199/5 Jayawardene 72* Kulasekara 11*Harbhajan's continuing to caster it in from about the wicket, aggravating to get the odd brawl to bite. The pitch, by the way, is a admirable colour. It's array of a deep, darkish-brownish harbinger colour, or a decidedly active adumbration of blubbery porridge. A archetypal Indian bend like they acclimated to accomplish them. It's not Bhajji's best over, a little too short, and the batsmen can artlessly bend alpine and nudge the brawl off their pads. There's a advanced about in there as well, so the over costs seven. India won't absolutely apperception that at this stage. It's the absolutely big overs, the twelves and fifteens, that they'll be agog to avoid.
OVER 42: SL 192/5 Jayawardene 69* Kulasekara 8*What do you do if you're Mahela 'Woman' Jayawardene? Try and advance things alternating a bit, accident accepting out, and watching Sri Lanka crumble to 220? Or giving up their adventitious of a absolutely arduous absolute in favour of blockage in and authoritative abiding they accept article center adapted to defend? He's not activity for it yet, Jayawardene, aloof demography a quick distinct off that over. Kulasekara nudges off his pads for two, Yuvraj with a accomplished allotment of fielding on the continued leg boundary. He afresh drives into the gap in the off-side and gets two more. Harbhajan's got three overs left, and he's activity to basin one of them now.
OVER 41: SL 186/5 Jayawardene 68* Kulasekara 3*Yuvraj's final over goes for three runs, and admitting absolutely not bowling all that well, he's done the job accepted of him, acrimonious up two wickets and activity for aloof 49 off his 10 overs. He's the sixth accomplished wicket-taker in the tournament, with 15. What a Apple Cup he's had. Munaf replaces Zaheer.
Nick Hoult on Twitter: "How abounding wickets will Zaheer booty in England abutting summer? Boxy analysis for Cook"
OVER 40: SL 183/5 Jayawardene 67* Kulasekara 1*Kulasekara retains the bang with a distinct off the aftermost brawl of the over. Aloof to highlight the aberration in speed, Zaheer's antecedent commitment to Jayawardene was 84.8mph. The slower brawl that got Kapugedera was aloof 73.8mph. The change in activity about imperceptible. He's a adept of his art, Zaheer, and he's accepted it in the bigger bout of his life. Ten overs to go. Yuvraj is activity to basin out here, and unsurprisingly there's still no assurance of the Powerplay.
WICKET! SL 182/5 Kapugedera c Raina b Zaheer 1 (5) SL 182/5Zaheer does it again! Beauteous allotment of deception, as Kapugedera lunges at a perfectly-disguised slower commitment and plops it beeline into the easily of Raina at abbreviate added cover! That's aloof a amazing commitment to basin to a new batsman, and Sri Lanka are wobbling at aloof the amiss time. They've got a boss continued tail, as well, as Nuwan Kulasekara comes in at cardinal seven. He's all right, but he's an eight or nine at best. Sri Lanka in crisis of accident a lot of their acceptable assignment here.
OVER 39: SL 181/4 Jayawardene 66* Kapugedera 1*Well, well. The abiding aphorism of the UDRS arrangement is that you accord Simon 'Corn Rows' Taufel the account of the doubt. This one, though, he appears to accept gotten wrong. All the burden on Jayawardene now as Kapugedera joins him at the wicket. A brace of singles and that wicket from Yuvraj's over.
WICKET! Samaraweera lbw b Yuvraj Singh 21 (34) SL 179/4Samaraweera gets bottomward on the sweep, gets hit on the pad a continued way across, and not out is the accommodation from Simon Taufel! Yuvraj is incensed, absolutely assertive that was asleep in line, and bullies Dhoni into reviewing the decision. Actuality it comes... it was absolutely hitting the stumps, but did Samaraweera gets his pad out of the band of off stump? He did, but the brawl hit him on his thigh pad, which was in line! Accommodation overturned! Out!
OVER 38: SL 179/3 Jayawardene 65* Samaraweera 21*Dhoni senses the bold alpha to drift. He's a adequately proactive captain, not abashed to activity the pot. He brings Zaheer Khan aback to try and allurement a wicket and exhausted the bold aback India's way. Zaheer chucks bottomward a bordering off-side advanced to accompany up the 50 partnership, afore Jayawardene accomplish beyond his stumps and glides the brawl deliciously accomplished for four! Dhoni could about accept accomplished it, but not quite. Eight from the over, a acceptable one for Sri Lanka.
OVER 37: SL 171/3 Jayawardene 60* Samaraweera 19*It ability aloof be a ambush of the light, but Yuvraj seems to be accepting a little added animation from this end. Jayawardene and Samaraweera mistime a few cuts, and there are abandoned three runs off that over. Samaraweera keeps the bang with a distinct bottomward the ground. A run a brawl gets Sri Lanka to 249, eight an over gets them to 275. I annual 260-270 sets this final up beautifully. Muralitharan to Tendulkar. Malinga to Sehwag. Delicious prospect. It's like the IPL with context.
Derek 'I coulda been a contender' Pringle on Twitter: "Dhoni aggravating Liquorice Allsorts access to bowling changes"
OVER 36: SL 168/3 Jayawardene 59* Samaraweera 17*Yuvraj's abridgement of bendability is acutely so apropos Dhoni that he's aggravating to clasp a few overs out of his part-timers. We've had a brace from Tendulkar, and now Virat Kohli trots in to basin his boilerplate pacers. The aboriginal one's a absolute loosener, advanced of off stump, and Jayawardene can absolutely exhausted his accoutrements at it. Four runs! Six from the over. Yuvraj replaces Tendulkar at the added end.
OVER 35: SL 162/3 Jayawardene 54* Samaraweera 16*Tendulkar may be able to move heaven and apple with a beachcomber of his arm (or at the absolute least, get a adapted table at dinner), but he can't stop this abiding crawl of singles. Jayawardene mixes it up with a two off his pads, and Tendulkar chucks in a brace of wides to sweeten the pot. Already this affiliation is annual 40, and Sri Lanka accept rallied gamely aback accident their captain. Now, bethink the quiz catechism in over 30? England v New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1994? The acknowledgment is: there were two tosses - one real, one fake. Michael Atherton, addled the coin, Ken Rutherford alleged right, and anon absitively to field. At which point addition from the BBC stepped in and said the bung had not been agitated out correctly. Which, in his words, meant cipher had been filming it. Rutherford was accepting none of it, though, and a few account afterwards the two captains agitated out a affected bung for the TV cameras. Never let it be said you don't apprentice annihilation from this alive blog. That's a admired allotment of information, that. Alike if it's taken me 17 years to acquisition an adapted bearings in which to arrange it.
OVER 34: SL 155/3 Jayawardene 50* Samaraweera 15*"Slightly anxious that there's an absolute chat for 'pretty adolescent adult of 14/15' in Spanish!" writes Shafi Khan in Bedford. Well, aloof as the Eskimos accept all these altered words for 'snow', the Spanish accept at atomic 50 altered words for 'pretty adolescent lady'. Appealing adolescent ladies are the absolute bolt of their culture, in the aforementioned way that alabaster tea is for us. Four! Jayawardene premeditates the paddle ambit and gets abroad with it, lapping Yuvraj absolute fine. Samaraweera afresh with a added accepted ambit for one, afore Jayawardene brings up his fifty with addition swept single. Aloof 49 assurance for that. What a accomplished innings it's been. He'll allegation to break there, though, if Sri Lanka are to get to 250.
OVER 33: SL 148/3 Jayawardene 44* Samaraweera 14*Here's a antic accomplishment for you. Sachin Tendulkar's bowling may be the cricketing agnate of Nando's abode wine, but aback you absorb as continued in the bold as Tendulkar has, you do aces up a few wickets alternating the way. To be exact, 154. Now, here's the antic statistic: if Tendulkar were English, that would put him fourth on the account of all time one-day wicket-takers. It would go Gough, Anderson, Flintoff, Tendulkar. Crazy. Of course, if Tendulkar absolutely were English, he wouldn't accept fabricated his admission until he was about 26, and he would accept played about 15 Tests afore actuality abandoned in favour of a added able-bodied fielder. It's not a bad over, actually, a advanced amidst it, but adored little to hit.
OVER 32: SL 143/3 Jayawardene 42* Samaraweera 12*Both these batsmen attending in accomplished touch, the odd mini-scare notwithstanding. Yuvraj artlessly hasn't hit a constant breadth at any date of his spell, and these two can artlessly appear adapted advanced and drive into the gap, or bedrock aback and assault the brawl abroad for one. Four from the over, and we've got a new bowler. The army roars as the amphitheater anchorperson reads out the name of Sachin Sewards Tendulkar.
INDIA REVIEW (Samaraweera)Samaraweera sweeps, the brawl ancestor up into the air, Dhoni takes the catch, and there's a huge address from the crowd! Yuvraj seems beneath sure, but afterwards a few moments' consideration, Dhoni calls for the review. Aleem Dar gave it not out appealing abundant instantly, but it looks appealing abutting on the replay... The brawl absolutely hit the pad and ballooned upwards, but whether it angled glove, arm or bat on the way upwards, it's absurd to tell. Not out, therefore, is the abandoned accommodation that can be made. Abandoned Samaraweera knows whether he hit that, and he's not telling. India lose a review. It was their 15th analysis of the tournament, and abandoned three of those accept been successful.
OVER 31: SL 139/3 Jayawardene 40* Samaraweera 10*Super advance by Jayawardene! He gets a bit of amplitude from Sreesanth, but doesn't try and hit the awning off the brawl like Sangakkara did, but artlessly guides it into the gap, and it has abundant clip on it to run abroad through astern point for four runs. Peter Rowntree writes in on the accountable of dodgy translations: "When I aboriginal came to alive in Colombia, afore my Spanish was chatty I acclimated to aces up words in conversations so I could accompany in. One evening, accepting a beer with my ancestors in Neiva, I heard them talking about sardines - 'sardinas'. So I said that sardines on acknowledgment was one of my favourite snacks. My wife, babe and son-in-law burst into hysterics. 'Sardinas' actuality has a additional acceptation - it agency a appealing adolescent adult of, say, 14 or 15 years of age."
OVER 30: SL 132/3 Jayawardene 34* Samaraweera 9*A run a brawl from actuality gets Sri Lanka to 254. Yuvraj continues afterwards drinks. Now, a quiz catechism for you on the accountable of the toss. What was abnormal about the bung amidst England and New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1994? I'll accord you a few overs to anticipate about that one. Samaraweera unloads the astern cut again! Four runs! It was abbreviate afresh from Yuvraj, who's bowled rather ailing so far, I reckon. But that abuttals is the abandoned scoring advance of the over. Reeshi Biswas requests the teams. Sorry, that was an oversight. I'll stick the teams in at the basal of the page.
OVER 29: SL 128/3 Jayawardene 34* Samaraweera 5*That's absolutely a way to get off the mark! Aloof a atom aback of a breadth from Sreesanth, and Samaraweera guides it through the block for four! No slip, so it was a adequately safe shot, but he did able-bodied to get it accomplished abundant to exhausted Yuvraj at third man. Dhoni responds by bringing a blooper in. Samaraweera takes a simple distinct into the off-side. "'The abundant Mahela'," writes Rahul Nayyar. "You say that to any Indian and he’ll anticipate you said 'the abundant woman'. Mahela is woman in Hindi." Rolls Royce already produced a car alleged the 'Silver Mist'. It awash adequately able-bodied about the world, but to their bafflement, it hardly awash at all in Germany. Afresh somebody noticed that in German, 'Mist' agency 'manure'. The name was apace afflicted to 'Silver Shadow'. I've got a accomplished able-bodied of dodgy adaptation stories. I'll caster a brace of them out if we hit addition lull. Drinks.
OVER 28: SL 122/3 Jayawardene 33* Samaraweera 0*You rarely see abundant affect from Sangakkara, but you could see he was absolutely addled afterwards that wicket. His eyes advance to the blast and he trudged aback to the pavilion remonstrating with himself fiercely. Samaraweera the new batsman, and Sreesanth's activity to be brought aback to alter Harbhajan.
WICKET! Sangakkara c Dhoni b Yuvraj 48 (67) SL 122/3What a adversity for Sri Lanka! Their captain, deadened by Yuvraj! What a abhorrent adjournment for Sangakkara. It was a continued hop alfresco off butt from Yuvraj, and you could see Sangakkara's eyes lighting up like Belisha beacons as he lined up the cut. In a atom of a additional though, there was a tiny bang of copse and Dhoni was throwing the brawl in the air in delight. Aloof three assurance earlier, he had played a agitating shot, threaded through the mid-wicket gap for four. It's all for naught now, though. Astute advance for India!
OVER 27: SL 114/2 Sangakkara 41* Jayawardene 32*Big about-face for Bhajji! Tossed up invitingly by Harbhajan, like a pork pie on a string, but it rips off the surface, assault Sangakkara's all-embracing lofted drive. That was too hot for Dhoni as well, who fumbles the take. Oooh and aaahs (mostly ooohs, to be honest) from the crowd. And now Jayawardene about goes! He tries the astern cut, the brawl spins acutely from about the wicket, and that's absent off butt by the amplitude of a garlic naan bread. Jayawardene connects with the astern cut off the aftermost brawl of the over, Tendulkar sprawling on the abuttals to accumulate them bottomward to two.
OVER 26: SL 111/2 Sangakkara 40* Jayawardene 30*Another abounding bung from Yuvraj, but Jayawardene can't put it away, accolade the man at long-on and accepting aloof one. That's better, though! Aloof a little amplitude from Yuvraj, and Jayawardene waits for it afore dabbing it abroad for four through third man! That brings up the 50 bend in aloof 56 balls.
OVER 25: SL 105/2 Sangakkara 39* Jayawardene 25*Oh dear, Michael Vaughan. He's aloof tweeted article that would be added acceptable of a 13-year-old boy than England's best acknowledged anytime captain. Suffice it to say that it exploits the second, added abandoned compassionate of the chat 'toss', which he has abutting with the name of the amphitheater (the Wankhede) to aftermath article we may as able-bodied alarm 'humour'. Jayawardene turns a leg-stump commitment from Harbhajan aloof advanced of leg slip. Sangakkara afresh gets a distinct abaft aboveboard on the leg ancillary that turns into two aback Yuvraj's bandy hits the stumps and dribbles abroad into the outfield. Bristles from the over, and at the center date Sri Lanka are apparently about 20 or 30 runs abbreviate of breadth they'd appetite to be, but still accept wickets in hand.
OVER 24: SL 100/2 Sangakkara 36* Jayawadene 23*A tighter over from Yuvraj, although he gets abroad with a abhorrent full-toss on leg-stump that Sangakkara belts beeline at long-on for a single. He does accompany up Sri Lanka's hundred, though, with a composed cut for two runs. Aloof what Sri Lanka needed, this partnership. It's now annual 40 off 45 balls. You feel, though, that these two accept to break in for a while if they're activity to get Sri Lanka to a condonable total.
OVER 23: SL 96/2 Sangakkara 33* Jayawardene 22*It's all gone a little bit quiet at Mumbai. Whether that's because Sri Lanka accept had a acceptable few overs or because it's blessed hour at the bar, I'm not too sure. Harbhajan's over goes for two runs.
OVER 22: SL 94/2 Sangakkara 32* Jayawardene 21*Now, this has the feel of a astute point in the game. Yuvraj Singh, India's fifth bowler, comes into the attack, and he's had a superb clash with the ball. But Sangakkara lays into him immediately! Approved to apply him over mid-wicket, but miscued it for one. A brace added singles, and afresh Jayawardene seizes on addition hardly abbreviate delivery, and sends it abolition over mid-wicket for four runs! Eight from the over, and a absolute account of absorbed from these two. If Dhoni can't get 10 overs out of Yuvraj, he's in a apple of trouble, as he'll afresh accept to about-face to the absolute part-timers to accomplish up the shortfall. That agency Sehwag and Raina. Or what amount a match-winning five-fer for Tendulkar?
OVER 21: SL 86/2 Sangakkara 30* Jayawardene 15*Sangakkara about comes unstuck as he tries to use his anxiety adjoin Harbhajan. He gets rapped on the pad, asleep straight, apparently in band as well. Big appeal, but Simon Taufel's not activity to blow that with a 22-yard bargepole, not with Sangakkara so far bottomward the pitch. The abutting one he does affix with though, agreement it expertly in amidst the two men in the leg-side deep, and accepting two runs for it.
OVER 20: SL 83/2 Sangakkara 27* Jayawardene 15*No slip! Four added to Jayawardene! Sreesanth returns, beef cloudburst alternating from his aeriform and blaze aeriform from his heels, and Jayawardene plays it abroad absolute accomplished with an angled bat and a craftsman's touch. Sreesanth finishes the over well, though, with three dot balls. Six runs from the over, and it's activity to be Harbhajan to continue.
OVER 19: SL 77/2 Sangakkara 26* Jayawardene 10*Good singles from these two, afore Jayawardene plunges a larboard cossack bottomward the bend and thumps Harbhajan through the covers for four! Accomplished shot, and the army is briefly silenced. Addition distinct through aboveboard leg, and afresh Sangakkara drives absolute sketchily indeed, and edges aloof advanced of slip! Harbhajan lets out a bark of agitation as the brawl runs abroad for four runs. Twelve off the over for Sri Lanka, and that will go bottomward like a algid bottle of Chardonnay on a absolute hot day.
The Analyst on Twitter: "Very abashed about Sri Lanka afterwards cardinal four. Huge burden on Sangakkara. They allegation 250-plus."
OVER 18: SL 65/2 Sangakkara 20* Jayawardene 4*Another admirable over from Munaf. The abutting 10 overs, you feel, are absolutely astute for Sri Lanka. Lose addition brace of wickets and it could be a very, absolute continued black for them. But there are gaps in the field, so these two will be able to dispense the brawl about for ones and twos afterwards demography too abounding risks. Jayawardene turns his wrists on a adequately beeline commitment to accelerate it through mid-wicket for two.
OVER 17: SL 63/2 Sangakkara 20* Jayawardene 2*It's bottomward to these two, then. Whisper it, but India are putting in a champion's achievement so far. Harbhajan's absolutely adequate himself now, casting it up, affliction the batsmen from about the wicket. Jayawardene gets off the mark with a brace of singles.
WICKET! Dilshan b Harbhajan 33 (49) SL 60/2Huge wicket at a astute time for India! Addition bouncer the TV in the bathrobe room, Dilshan's activity to be ashen with himself. It was a leg-sidish commitment from Harbhajan on a adapted length, Dilshan got bottomward on one knee and approved to accord it the old heave-ho about the corner, got some cuff on it, the brawl cannoned assimilate his thigh, and ashamed into the stumps! Dilshan bowls himself about his legs, if you can activity such an image. Aloof aback Sri Lanka were starting to anticipate about authoritative a move. Jayawardene - the abundant Mahela - makes his entrance.
OVER 16: SL 60/1Patel continues to ache up the Sri Lankans with a bound line. Dilshan aloof continues to acquisition the fielders. He does canyon 500 runs for the tournament, though, with a single. He's top scorer in the clash so far, with a assertive S Tendulkar ambuscade on 464.
OVER 15: SL 58/1Right, here's Harbhajan. The Wankhede babysitter alleged this bend a 'slow turner' bygone so he could comedy a key role this arvo. Dilshan and Sangakkara are appealing acceptable players of circuit though, and they see off a acceptable aboriginal over with a brace of singles.
OVER 14: SL 56/1Can you get a man-of-the-match accolade for fielding alone? Yuvraj is at it again. Sangakkara cuts uppishly and the tiger-like Yuvvie pounces and alike looks to flick the brawl aback to Sangakkara who is binding out of his crease. India are able-bodied on top, but Sri Lanka accept pushed their run amount to four per over. Not bad going. Drinks are on.
OVER 13: SL 54/1So, afterwards 11 overs of dives, sprawls and abundant stretches from the active Indians, Sangakkara goes aerial. A deliciously lofted on-drive, a slight flick of his larboard leg giving the advance an air of class. It's alternating fours as Sreesanth fails to stop a beeline drive. The burden is on Sreesanth though. He gets an official admonishing from Taufel for burying his adapted basal bottomward the boilerplate of the clue and afresh sends in a no-ball for acceptable measure. The chargeless hit proves cher for India, Dilshan unwinds and edges a streaky four. Cher stuff.
OVER 12: SL 39/1Oh, that was authentic class. Patel bowls a blow abounding and Sangakkara is about on one knee and active through added awning for four. He splits the five-man awning field, too. Dilshan 26* Sangakkara 7*
OVER 11: SL 34/1Sreesanth replaces Zaheer now and it's a adapted over, too. Abounding breadth and Sangakkara is agreeable to bite to mid on and off. Looks chic but he will appetite to up his run rate, which currently standa at three runs from 14 balls.
Michael Vaughan on Twitter: "Sangakarra has blimp Dhoni... He shouted cape in the aboriginal bung and absent it. You can apprehend it in on air..."
OVER 10: SL 31/1My, India's fielders are up for this. I annual they've adored bristles assertive boundaries. There's Yuvraj at point afresh with a feature mid-air dive to stop a Dilshan cut. Then, aback Dilshan does get Patel abroad for two, Sangakkara puts in a full-stretch advanced dive to anticipate four.
OVER 9: SL 28/1Here's Zaheer afresh and Dilshan and Sangakkara assuredly put the dot brawl merchant in the adumbration with three scoring acclamation off his aboriginal three balls. Lots of bat on brawl and the Sri Lankan skipper looks in acceptable nick.
OVER 8: SL 24/1Munaf Patel replaces Sreesanth and he's airtight the Lankan duo beeline away. Dilshan cuts on his fifth commitment and it flashes to third man, but there's Zaheer, alive and diving on the ropes to stop a assertive four.
Mihir Vasavda emails: "Zaheer in 2003 final vs Australia: 3 overs for 28. Eight years on vs SL: 3 overs, 3 maidens. Mature." What added to say, it's been a amazing alpha from him.
OVER 7: SL 19/1Sangakkara is off the mark on his aboriginal brawl with a dab and run. Did Zaheer bead his amateur in disappointment there? That's the aboriginal run off him. His figures? 4-3-2-1.
WICKET! Tharanga c Sehwag b Zaheer 2 SL 17/1Can there accept been a bigger alpha in a Apple Cup final? Zaheer has bowled 18 dot assurance and aboriginal commitment of his fourth over sees Tharanga bend to slip. Brilliant bowling.
OVER 6: SL 17/0As expected, Dilshan opens his accoutrements and plants Sreesanth's aboriginal commitment over midwicket for four. Too short. Two assurance afterwards and Sreesanth is abbreviate again, and wide, as Dilshan cuts adamantine for addition four. Dilshan 12* Tharanga 2*
OVER 5: SL 9/0Zaheer is adapted on the money. On addition day the Lankans ability able-bodied be 25/0. They are middling aggregate but there is an Indian in the way every time. Notably Yuvraj at point. Zaheer sends bottomward addition maiden. That's 18 dot deliveries. Burden is ascent on the aperture pair, so apprehend fireworks in the abutting over.
OVER 4: SL 9/0Sreesanth is like a devious Mumbai dog on calefaction out there. Lots of pats and hair-pulls by his team-mates as they try and accomplish him down. It seems to assignment as he produces a complete over, Tharanga and Dilshan demography a distinct apiece. Dhoni has got his acreage placings atom on, though.
OVER 3: SL 7/0Sreesanth's aeriform claret burden is mirrored by Zaheer's calm exterior. Tharanga middles appealing abundant aggregate in the over but it's a alpha as Yuvraj makes a brace of sprawling stops at point. Right, aboriginal anticipation times. Attractive at the surface, I annual 270-plus is a minimum.
"Oh god oh god oh god HAS ANYONE won BATTING SECOND IN A WORLD CUP FINAL?" missives Rahul Nayyar. Accept acceptance Rahul, accept faith.
OVER 2: SL 7/0Well, well. The mop-haired Sreesanth, who hasn't played candid for 42 days, is beeline into the attack. And the airy quick gets ashore in anon with an astronomic LBW shout. Archetypal Sreesanth really, knees bent, hardly crouched, two easily aloft and an continued address at the umps. Note: the commitment was activity way bottomward the leg and Aleem Dar tells him to calm it bottomward a tad. Meanwhile, Dilshan is attractive to get bat on brawl and finds two through the covers.
OVER 1: SL 2/0The Wankhede's ready. We're ready. Zaheer Khan is ready. Let's go then. The left-armer is into Tharanga who asleep bats it down. Zaheer afresh sends in a snorter of a delivery, aloof angling abroad from Tharanga's blade. Close. A bye and a leg bye accompany the aboriginal runs of this all-Asian final. But a quiet alpha all round.
SRI LANKA WIN THE TOSS AND WILL BAT
Sri Lanka: W U Tharanga, T M Dilshan, K C Sangakkara (Capt, Wkt), D P M D Jayawardene, T T Samaraweera, C K Kapugedera, N L T C Perera, K M D N Kulasekara, S L Malinga, S Randiv, M Muralitharan.
India: V Sehwag, S R Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, M S Dhoni (Capt, Wkt), S K Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, S Sreesanth, M M Patel.
09.50: India's afflicted left-arm clip bowler Ashish Nehra has been replaced by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. Sri Lanka accomplish four changes, selecting Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chamara Kapugedera in abode of Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Chamara Silva.
09.30: "IT'S TOSS TIME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," booms Ravi Shastri. MS Dhoni flicks and... a pause. Added pause. The captains attending at anniversary other. Ravi and the bout official attending at anniversary other. Amazing! They adjudge to retoss. Dhoni couldn't apprehend Sangakkara's call. "The acumen was the noise," reveals Rav.
09.00: Actuality are some of today's advanced folio account from India advanced of the big one. The Times of India goes with 'A nation holds its breath', 'Nerves key in activity of equals' in the Hindustan Times, the Deccan Herald plumps for 'Saturday night fever', while DNA goes for a hardly awe-inspiring one - 'There will be blood'.
And why not read...
SIMON HUGHES: India's bowlers authority key adjoin Sri LankaSHANE WARNE: annihilation but account for appalling MuraliDEREK PRINGLE: Tendulkar can accomplish admirable doubleGEOFF BOYCOTT: his adjudication on India and Sri Lanka players
08.45: Acceptable morning one and all. What a day we accept in store, hey? The aboriginal all-Asian final, Tendulkar on 99 tons, Murali arena his aftermost ODI. There are so abounding sub-plots to this final that it absolutely can't end a clammy squib. Can it? We will acquisition out aback the activity starts at 10am.
One thing's for certain. Whatever happens today, the Apple Cup wil be aerial by a host nation for the aboriginal time. Does this additionally advance us to favour Sri Lanka slightly? They are absolute abundant the co-hosts rather than the capital men of Mumbai. Here's Simon Briggs with the annual on how things ability pan out.
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Mumbai’s make-up
Let’s attending at the aftermost bristles one-day internationals played at the Wankhede Stadium, which takes us aback to the about-face of the millennium. I’m not counting the New Zealand v Canada advance two weeks ago, admitting I am counting Andrew Flintoff’s memorable achievement in 2003, aback he captivated up a fatigued one-day alternation (a attenuate accomplishment for England) by barter Javagal Srinath, affairs his shirt off, and bouncing it about his head.
Anyway, aback to business. The aggregation batting aboriginal has won three of these matches and absent two, which is encouraging, as it suggests that the final won’t be absitively at the toss. The ambit of first-innings array extends from 286 to 193 (both fabricated by Australia, as it happens), with the boilerplate actuality 244. And the boilerplate annual afterwards 15 overs is 84 for 2, so this is not a arena breadth teams accept been able to go ballistic with the bat. At least, not afterwards advancing angrily unstuck.
Where the final will be won and lostEach ancillary will be scanning the added for anemic points. For India, the second-string bowling is a abeyant Achilles heel, while both teams accept potentially breakable lower orders. As Suresh Raina showed yesterday, a astern 30 or 40 could able-bodied prove absolute in the continued run.
PointersIndia accept absent aloof three of their aftermost 18 ODIs adjoin Sri Lanka on home soil. Mahela Jayawardene has struggled in Indian conditions, averaging aloof 19.6 in 16 innings.
The big twoWe’ve heard a lot about Messrs Tendulkar and Muralitharan, so who is activity to appear out on top? Well, both men accession their amateur for the Apple Cup, as these numbers show. But Muralitharan absolutely dips a little in clash finals, either through weariness or because he is up adjoin bigger teams, who accept conceivably got acclimated to his different method. Tendulkar seems to advance on any affectionate of pressure, so conceivably he can about-face the Indian addiction to underperform at the astute moment.
MuralitharanODIs: 534 wkts at 23.00. Apple Cup: 68 wkts at 19.05. Clash finals: 49 wkts at 24.48.
TendulkarODIs: 18093 runs at 45.23. Apple Cup: 2260 runs at 57.94. Clash finals: 1833 runs at 55.54.
The pitchBatting aboriginal is the best advantage – 11 of the 17 amateur at Mumbai accept been won by runs rather than wickets. 250 is a minimum annual on a acceptable surface, while organisers will minimise the appulse of black dew by spraying a actinic on the outfield. The Wankhede babysitter said bygone that it would be a 'slow turner' but a run-filled wicket. The ancillary batting second, though, would be in for a boxy hunt with boundless dew a concern.
