Chasing a massive target of 317 to evade a series loss, Indian batting line-up blew English bowlers apart to snatch a thriller. The seven match ODI series goes down to the wire with both India and England 3-3 level and Saturday’s game will be the decider.
Electing to bat first, England set a mammoth total of 316-6, with Owais Shah hitting his maiden ODI century and Dimitri Mascarenhas hitting five successive sixes off Yuvraj Singh in England innings’ last over.
After setting a huge total for the Indians to chase to level the series, the English team must have thought of a series victory. But, to the credit of man of the match Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’s majestic batting with opening mate Bengal Tiger Saurav Ganguly, England looked astray, with the duo at their best scoring runs with ease and laying the foundation for the following batsmen to make hay. Once, both Saurav and Sachin went back to the pavilion in a span of a few deliveries, with Tendulkar once again missing his century, the battle was left to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Uthappa to be won.
India required 10 off the last over and Uthappa finished it off with two deliveries to spare, setting the stage for the grand finale on Saturday, when both teams meet for the last ODI at Lords. And as both India and England look to snatch the seven match series that has provided us with enough excitement, crackers are ready to burst, but for one side. Who is that going to be? Wait till Saturday and the winner would emerge.
Source: BBC
