India vs Sri Lanka, as it happened - MS Dhoni steers India to thrilling tri-series triumph

India beat Sri Lanka by one wicket in a thrilling final to claim the tri-series title in the West Indies. The final as it happened: (Scorecard | Commentary)

 

04:00 (IST): A thrilling end to a thrilling series. India, after losing their opening two games, have emerged deserved winners. Hosts West Indies were poor during the latter stages while Sri Lanka faltered when it mattered most. MS Dhoni will bag the limelight but Virat Kohli deserves the plaudits for leading India on most of the tour. The 2013 Champions Trophy winners have cemented their status and the world's No.1 ODI team.

 

03:53 (IST): ...He is then reminded and Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni collect the tri-series title.

 

03:52 (IST): Arun Lal forgets to hand India the trophy...

 

03:48 (IST): Rohit Sharma has been named the most trusted Player of the Series.

 

03:45 (IST): MS Dhoni: I'm blessed with a good cricketing sense. I knew I could get 15 runs off the last over, I'm happy that it worked.

 

03:43 (IST): MS Dhoni is named Man of the Match. (Also see: Match in pics)

 

03:40 (IST): "It was a great game, bowlers showed character but we panicked while batting," says Angelo Mathews after the crushing defeat. "You can't do much when you face Dhoni, He is the greatest finisher in the game."

 

03:27 (IST): The final at Queen's Park Oval had everything. Excellent batting by Kumar Sangakkara and Rohit Sharma in particular and some excellent bowling spells by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja, Shaminda Eranga and Rangana Herath. 202 was never going to be enough for Sri Lanka but they fought valiantly and gave us a final that will be remembered for a long time. MS Dhoni, who was injured for most of the tournament, put his customary finishing touches on the final as India have been crowned champions of the Celkon Mobile Cup.

 

03:22 (IST): Virat Kohli, dressed in shorts and a sleeveless shirt, was the first one out on the field, as he jumped into the arms of his captain. Jubiliant scenes in the Indian dressing room - a welcome shift from the atmosphere a few minutes ago.

 

03:19 (IST): MS Dhoni finished with 45 off 52 deliveries. It was slow and he looked injured on many occasions but managed to take India to the target of 202 with just two balls to spare.

 

03:17 (IST): MS Dhoni has done it for India once again. Needing 15 to win off the last over, Dhoni hit Shaminda Eranga for two sixes and a boundary as India are crowned the tri-series champions.

 

03:14 (IST): And a six! India win with 2 balls to spare. MS Dhoni has done it again!

 

03:13 (IST): Four more! India need 5 runs to win in 3 balls.

 

03:11 (IST): Swing and a miss from Dhoni followed by a massive six. India need 9 runs to win in 4 balls.

 

03:09 (IST): It comes down to MS Dhoni and the last over. India need 15 runs to win. Dhoni to face, Eranga to bowl...

 

03:07 (IST): Ishant slashes towards third-man for a couple, India need 15 in 8 balls.

 

03:05 (IST): Ishant Sharma survives two run-out chances, dives into the crease on both occasions. Brilliant scenes!

 

03:04 (IST): Dhoni struggles to get Malinga away, manages just two runs in the over. India need 17 runs in 12 deliveries, but Ishant to face.

 

02:58 (IST): Ishant Sharma negotiates the final ball of the 47th over. India (MS Dhoni) need 19 runs in 18 balls. Edge-of-your-seat stuff this!

 

02:55 (IST): WICKET - Vinay Kumar is dismissed! India nine down. He slashes a back-of-the length Mathews delivery to short third-man. Sri Lanka one wicket away from a tri-series victory.

 

02:53 (IST): Dhoni, rather surprisingly takes a single off Eranga's first ball. Vinay Kumar survives and manages a couple of runs as well. India need 21 in 24.

 

02:47 (IST): The match is going down to the wire. Vinay wants a single off the last ball but Dhoni wisely turns him back. India need 24 in 30 deliveries.

 

02:43 (IST): Vinay survives, India need 26 in six overs with two wickets in hand.

 

02:38 (IST): Yet again it's up to MS Dhoni to dig India out of a hole. With just two partners remaining and 27 to get in 7 overs, can Dhoni pull of a thrilling triumph? It will be Vinay Kumar to face Malinga though.

 

02:33 (IST): Malinga seems to have been hit with a plastic bottle from the stands, slight delay.

 

02:26 (IST): WICKET - ...No he doesn't! Bhuvneshwar is yorked! Bhuvi survived 3 deliveries but Malinga bowls a slower yorker and he is trapped lbw. Vinay Kumar comes out and India need 35 to win in 8 overs with 2 wickets in hand.

 

02:23 (IST): Dhoni takes a single of the first ball of Malinga's over. Can Bhuvneshwar survive?

 

02:22 (IST): Pat on the back for Bhuvneshwar by Dhoni, he defends an entire over from Lakmal. India need 37 in 9 overs with 3 wickets in hand.

02:17 (IST): Two boundaries in the over for Dhoni, India need 37 in 10 overs with 3 wickets in hand.

 

02:15 (IST): Lasith Malinga to Dhoni, Here we go...

 

02:12 (IST): So then, it's up to Captain Cool MS Dhoni to take India to the tilte. He's on the aggressive and slashes wildly at Suranga Lakmal, top-edge for four. India need 45 in 11 overs with 3 wickets in hand.

 

02:07 (IST): Bhuvneshwar Kumar survives the hat-trick ball, Rangana Herath finishes with figures of 4/20 in his 10 overs.

 

02:03 (IST): WICKETS - Two in two for Herath, first Ravindra Jadeja and then R Ashwin first ball! Both very similar dismissals, both lbw. Jadeja trapped on the back foot while R Ashwin is hit on the knee roll. India 152/7 in 37.2 overs.

 

01:50 (IST): MS Dhoni attempts a quick single, seems to be struggling with his hamstring. Will his injury hold up? Dhoni and Jadeja are the last recognised batting pair. India need 56 runs in 91 deliveries.

 

01:45 (IST): WICKET - Suresh Raina (32) is caught behind. Sri Lanka have stormed back into the final. Lakmal pitched up a delivery outside-off and Raina takes the bait, attempts a drive and edges it to the keeper. India 145/5 in 34.1 overs.

01:33 (IST): WICKET - Rohit Sharma is bowled! A flatter delivery by Rangana Herath, Sharma is cramped for room and cannot get his bat down in time. To be fair the ball kept a bit low as well. India 139/4 in 31.1 overs, needing 63 runs to win.

01:30 (IST): The impressive Eranga is back into the attack, first ball goes for five wides, concedes a further 7 runs in the over. India cruising at 139/3 after 31 overs.

 

01:16 (IST): Fifty! 17th in ODI cricket for Rohit Sharma with an inside-edge of Rangana Herath, almost dragged on. He raises his bat to the dressing room but knows his job is only half done.

 

01:09 (IST): Rohit Sharma holds the key to this chase of 202. The opener has consistently got starts but this final is the perfect opportunity to convert it into a big one.

00:58 (IST): Rangana Herath has dismissed Dinesh Karthik three times in three matches in this series.

 

00:53 (IST): WICKET - Dinesh Karthik edges to first slip, Herath gets his man. DK made room and tries to cut, gets an outside edge and the ball nestles into the palms of Mahela Jayawardene. Karthik and Rohit Sharma had put on 50 runs for the third wicket. India 77/3 after 23 overs.

00:45 (IST): Karthik eases his nerves with two boundaries. The first is an outside edge that goes past a diving Sangakkara, the second is a flick of the pads. India 68/2 after 21 overs.

00:38 (IST): DK looks totally out of sorts. First ball from Rangana Herath and Karthik is beaten all ends up. Struggles through the over but survives.

 

00:27 (IST): Rohit Sharma is struck on the box, yet again! An in-swinger by Suranga Lakmal strikes the opener on the abdomen. Remember, Rohit was struck twice in the same place when these two sides met two days ago. 

 

00:20 (IST): Dinesh Karthik is looking extremely tentative. He lobs a Lasith Malinga delivery down the pitch, almost into the hands of the bowler. He needs a drink and the umpires duly oblige. India 43/2 in 16 overs.

 

00:11 (IST): Lasith Malinga into the attack. After 9 dot balls in a row Rohit slashes wildly, gets a thick top-edge and the ball sails over the boundary. India 37/2 after 14 overs.

 

00:05 (IST): Brilliant bowling, this, by Shaminda Eranga. He's probling the line outside off stump and has beaten the batsmen on many occasions.  India under pressure.

00:01 (IST): So, Sri Lanka are well and truly back in this final. Surprisingly Virat Kohli's scores against Sri Lanka in this series read 2, 31, 2.

 

23:53 (IST): WICKET - The big one of Virat Kohli! A length delivery by Eranga which kept a bit low. Kohli dragged into a push, faint edge and collected by Sangakkara. India 27/2 in 11 overs.

23:50 (IST): Virat Kohli is new man in. He loves playing Sri Lanka.

23:43 (IST): WICKET - Shikhar Dhawan dismissed, scorcher of a delivery by Shaminda Eranga. A back-of-the-length ball bounces off the surface, Dhawan gets an edge which carries to the keeper. India 23/1 after 9 overs.

 

23:30 (IST): The crowd at Queen's Park Oval seems a bit flat, and just as we say that Dhawan plays a glorious drive and cut. No luck though as he finds the fielder on both occasions.

23:21 (IST): An underwhelming start to the Indian innings, with Dhawan and Sharma playing a watchful game. Although there's no need for India to hurry with just 202 to get.

 

23:11 (IST): Slightly delayed start as Rohit Sharma has a problem with the sight screen. All sorted and Eranga to bowl. Two singles off the first over.

 

23:00 (IST): So then India need 202 to win the tri-nation series in the West Indies. Seems easy on paper, but there is some purchase in the pitch if the Sri Lankan bowlers can find it. Back for the chase with Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

 

22:30 (IST): The innings wasn't meant to end this way for Sri Lanka. They lost their two openers - Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne - to Bhuvneshwar Kumar but a 122-run stand for the third wicket by Lahiru Thirimanne (46) and Kumar Sangakkara (71) put them on course for a massive total. But the Lankans lost their last eight for just 29 runs, leaving India a seemingly easy road to the tri-series title.

 

22:25 (IST): At one stage Sri Lanka were 171/2.....

 

22:22 (IST): INNINGS END - And that's that as Lakmal is stumped by Dhoni. Sri Lanka fold for 201 in 48.5 overs, a rather under-par effort. Ravindra Jadeja ends with 4/23.

 

22:10 (IST): WICKETS - Two in three for Jadeja, Herath and Malinga depart. A tossed up delivery by Jadeja evades Herath. Dhoni collects and waits... and waits... and finally clips the bails as Herath's foot slips out. Two balls later, Malinga skies one to Bhuvneshwar at mid-off and Sri Lanka are nearing the end.

 

22:04 (IST): WICKET - Angelo Mathews bites the dust! He makes room and tries to 'upper cut' Ishant but manages to find Vinay Kumar at third-man. Sri Lanka struggling at 196/7 in 46 overs

21:56 (IST): Skipper Angelo Mathews holds the key here to this Lankan innings. He needs to play a blinder for the match to be a contest. Remember the pitch at the Queen's Park Oval is - despite some turn - a batters paradise.

 

21:51 (IST): WICKET - Dinesh Chandimal (5) falls to the slog-sweep, c Ashwin b Jadeja. Chandimal went down on one knee but couldn't clear Ashwin at deep-square leg. Sri Lanka reeling at 183/6 in 42.3 overs.

21:48 (IST): Yet again the batting powerplay has proved a curse to the side with the willow.

 

21:43 (IST): WICKET - Ashwin gets two in the over, Kusal Perera (2) is stumped by Dhoni. Perera walks down the track to a tossed up ball but the turn and bounce takes it away from him. It's all too easy for Dhoni and India are right back in this.

21:40 (IST): WICKET - It's the big one of Sangakkara! Ashwin tosses it up and Sangakkara can only lift it to Vinay Kumar at mid-wicket. He falls for 71.

21:32 (IST): WICKET - After conceding two fours and a six to Sangakkara, Ishant gets rid of Lahiru Thirimanne for 46. A top-edge to mid-off and Bhuvneshwar Kumar takes a good running catch. Sri Lanka 172/3 in 38 overs.

21:28 (IST): Sangakkara is on fire! Ishant being punished by some innovative strokeplay.

21:25 (IST): Two boundaries at the start of batting powerplay and Sri Lanka have crossed 150, heading towards a big total.

 

21:18 (IST): So as we stand, India have lost a bit of intensity in their bowling and fielding after Bhuvneshwar's initial spell. Dhoni has also made some questionable decision - bowling Kohli and Raina ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja. At 141/2 after 35, Sangakkara and Thirimanne are cruising.

 

21:13 (IST): Sangakkara and Thirimanne are setting themselves for a late onslaught. Meanwhile Kumar Sangakkara reaches his 77th ODI fifty, Sri Lanka 138/2 in 34 overs.

 

21:05 (IST): Dhoni is not having the best of days behind the stumps. He's missed quite a few and now drops Sangakkara on 39. Sri Lanka 127/2 in 32 overs, as Ravindra Jadeja finally has a bowl.

 

20:56 (IST): Thrirmanne sweeps Raina for four, brings up the 100 for Sri Lanka in the 28th over. India are slowly losing their grip on this innings.

 

20:50 (IST): Massive appeal by Raina, would have been heard all over the West Indian islands. Not out as the ball is going over Thrirmanne's stumps.

 

20:43 (IST): Raina drops Sangakkara of his own bowling. He follows the drop by jumping all over the back of Thirimanne at the non-strikers end. Dhoni will not be impressed.

 

20:36 (IST): Kohli and Raina bowling in tandem, a worry for India's bowling stocks? Kohli bowls five wides, horrible delivery. Sangakkara and Thirimanne starting to ease the pressure that was built up by Bhuvneshwar's opening spell.

 

20:30 (IST): Now Suresh Raina into the attack, an appeal for lbw but the ball is going over Thrirmanne's stumps. Sri Lanka 62/2 after 20 overs.

 

20:24 (IST): Dropped - Ashwin puts one down at first slip. Lahiru Thirimanne edges Ishant but Ashwin can't get down in time. Missed opportunity to put Lanka on the ropes.

 

20:19 (IST): Kohli with the ball. The pitch seems to have something for the seamers as Kohli bowls a pitched-up first over, just three runs off it. Sri Lanka 54/2 after 16 overs.

 

20:10 (IST): The umpires call for drinks with Sri Lanka at 49/2 in 14.3 overs. Ishant Sharma seems to have an issue with the landing foot and waves to the dressing room.

 

20:04 (IST): So then yet again Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes early for India.

 

19:59 (IST): WICKET - Jayawardene edges Bhuvneshwar to Ashwin. A wide delivery outside-off and Jayawardene guides it to the slip cordon. Nothing ball, poor shot!

 

19:55 (IST): Jayawardene pulls Ishant for the first six of the innings, he didn't know much about the shot though. Ishant tests Jayawardene with another short one, straight into the ribs, good battle this. Mahela is treated by the physio.

 

19:51 (IST): Ishant Sharma introduced after 10 overs. Vinay Kumar has justified his selection in the playing XI with economical figures of 0/9 in five overs, not looking like taking a wicket though. Sri Lanka 42/1 after 12.

 

19:43 (IST): It's hot and sunny currently at the Queen's Park Oval but as the previous game between these two sides proved, the rain arrives faster than a Mumbai local. Meanwhile, on the pitch, Kumar Sangakkara finally gets off the mark with a dangerous single after 10 deliveries.

 

19:35 (IST): Vinay Kumar is bowling a probing line outside-off, has conceded just 9 runs in 4 overs. Sri Lanka 28/1 after 8.

 

19:30 (IST): WICKET - Dhoni takes a good catch, Tharanga falls to Bhuvneshwar. Dhoni may have been injured but is showing no signs of it, dives to his right to take a good catch of an inside-edge.

 

19:24 (IST): Meanwhile over in the Ashes, 19-year-old debutant Ashton Agar missed his century by two runs - batting at No.11. Read more about the prodigy here.

 

19:14 (IST): Vinay Kumar, who replaced Umesh Yadav in the playing XI, bowls a maiden first-up. Bhuvneshwar looking a bit off his mark though.

 

19:05 (IST): A flick of Tharanga's pads and it's the first boundary of the innings, the first runs as well. Lanka 5/0 after the first over.

19:00 (IST): So then it's time to decide the winner of the tri-series in the West Indies. Bhuvneshwar with the ball, Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene to open the batting at Trinidad...

 

18:57 (IST): The only other time India has won the toss in this series was against in Jamaica v Sri Lanka, where they were handed a 161-run thrashing. Ominous?

18.46 (IST): A morale booster for India with the return of skipper MS Dhoni. He had missed the last 3 games due to a hamstring injury. Kohli had earlier admitted that he missed the captain's calm demeanor on the field of play. Read

 

18.35 (IST): TOSS: India wins the toss and opts to bowl. MS Dhoni is back in charge of the team and feels that India can come up trumps in the final. Angelo Mathews is still confident of a win.

 

18.26 (IST): The pitch has a bit of grass and if the bowlers put the ball in the right areas then it could give the batsmen trouble. This is Jeff Dujon's official diagnosis of the wicket.

 

18.26 (IST): Mahela Jayawardene is confident ahead of the game. "Never expected to play 400 ODIs. Have got a lot of support from the the seniors in the dressing room. Younger guys should take control and learn from the seniors in the middle. My job was to help them . I want to take one ball at a time. I am looking at couple of series at a time and see how the body goes."

 

18.18 (IST): Virat Kohli is still the captain. There is still no news of whether MS Dhoni will play or not.

 

17:53 (IST): Although statistics mean nothing, Sri Lanka have a better record against India in the grand finals of three-nation tournaments. Out of the eight contested, Lanka have won five and India three. It was in Dambulla in August 2010 that India and Sri Lanka last clashed in the final of a three-nation tournament (New Zealand were the third team). The Lankans won by 74 runs, with Tillakaratne Dilshan smashing a century. (Jayawardene to play 400th ODI)

 

17:50 (IST): Ahead of Thursday's trination final at Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), Ravi Shastri has pointed out that India should be wary of in-form Sri Lankan batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga. Jayawardene will be playing his 400th ODI and will become the third cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya to do so.

"Doomsayers often wondered about life after India's golden set of players had left the stage. Not very long ago, one shuddered to think if Zaheer Khan could be replaced. Or, if there could be future beyond the duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Or, if Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman's absence would leave a gaping hole in the middle. There seemed to be no spinner to take over from first, Anil Kumble and then, Harbhajan Singh. All of them now seemed unfounded fears," Shastri wrote in his newspaper column. (Read full story here)