Ind WI ODI 3: India Climb Back in Rain Affected Match

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Sreelata YellamrazuJul 5 2009

After the nightmare of losing in humiliating fashion in the second ODI at Sabina Park, Jamaica, India climbed back with a win despite the frequent rain interruptions that nearly put paid to the match at the Beausejour Stadium, St. Lucia.

dhoni thumbs up

Ramnaresh Sarwan top scored for the West Indies with sixty-two in a match that was not delayed by rain but also, frequently visited by it. The early momentum was imperative for the hosts with India deciding to field first and captain Chris Gayle and Runako Morton helped the scoreboard along, until Sarwan took control of the match. Once again a run out caused his dismissal but his innings meant that West Indies had made 186 in their restricted quota of twenty-seven overs. Once again Ishant Sharma failed to find inspiration despite being brought in in place of Praveen Kumar, conceding thirty-five runs from five overs. Harbhajan Singh conceded as many runs but picked up two wickets while Ashish Nehra has picked three wickets.

More rain meant that India’s batting was interrupted this time and after a lengthy break, India had twenty-two overs to score 159 runs by the Duckworth Lewis method, a feat they managed with a ball to spare. The Indian openers, Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir, had to come good and they did in an eighty-four run partnership that came in the first twelve overs of the match.

While Karthik was the highest run scorer with forty-seven, Gambhir was equally valuable with forty-four. Unwilling this time to leave his batting to the rest of the lot, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni pushed himself higher up the order and once Karthik was run out by Ravi Rampaul, came in to bat at number three. The move paid up amply as Dhoni, with forty-six, provided just the shield when he came in and impetus when it mattered when India needed eleven runs from the final over when Dhoni hit a six.

With the series now theirs to win, India can sit tight. But they will want to finish their tour before the break on a high.

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