INDIA BEGAN THE WEST INDIES TOUR WITH A VICTORY

India began to make compensation for their limp World Twenty20 by sealing a 20-run win over West Indies in the first one-day international thanks to a pulsating century from Yuvraj Singh at Sabina Park.

Yuvraj, perhaps still in 20-over mode after his side's Super Eights exit in England earlier this month, smashed 131 off 102 balls before perishing to Dwayne Bravo courtesy of a fine catch by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin as India posted 339 for six.

The hosts made a decent fist of their reply, Shivnarine Chanderpaul top scoring with 63 from 59 balls, but none of their batsmen could stay at the crease long enough to see them home.

It was Dinesh Karthik who did the early damage for India, overcoming the losses of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma to strike 67 off 76 balls.

The openers dished out some harsh treatment in Lionel Baker's first over before a Jerome Taylor bouncer accounted for Gambhir (13).

A Baker short ball did for Sharma (4) soon after, Bravo taking the catch on both occasions.

That brought Yuvraj and Karthik together, with the pair happy to rebuild slowly at first.

Karthik began to up the rate with boundaries off David Bernard and Bravo, before a Dilshan-esque scoop for six off the Jamaican brought up his 50.

Yuvraj smashed a pair of sixes off Chris Gayle and another off fellow spinner Sulieman Benn as the pair brought up a century stand and took India past 150.

But with the score on 166, Karthik paddled the ball through to Ramdin to end the partnership at 135.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni came to the crease and supported Yuvraj, who launched into Baker and Taylor to take his score from 84 to 114 in the space of two overs.

He then smashed back-to-back maximums off Taylor before Bravo took two in two, removing Yuvraj and Ravindra Jadeja with a pair of catches from the impressive Ramdin.

Dhoni (41 off 46) and Yusuf Pathan (40 not out off 38) then added some late runs to take India past 300, before a couple of lusty blows from Harbhajan Singh (21 not out off 13) gave the total a more intimidating look.

Openers Gayle (37) and Runako Morton (42) gave West Indies a solid base with 65 for the first wicket, and Sarwan (45) struck three sixes, including a lovely straight drive off Yuvraj, to keep them up with the rate.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul added 51 for the third wicket before the former was run out, a wicket which signalled the start of the end.

Bravo struggled to time the ball and was eventually removed by Ishant Sharma - albeit seemingly off a no ball - for eight off 21 deliveries, before his brother Darren, on debut, added 19 off 16.

Pathan accounted for Chanderpaul and Taylor, who contributed 21 off 15, as the West Indies tail wagged.

Ramdin (29 off 26), accompanied first by Bernard (19 off 20) and then Benn (seven off six), kept things interesting until the penultimate over, when Ashish Nehra induced a slog form the wicketkeeper which only found Harbhajan.

The second match of the four-game series takes place at the same venue on Sunday.

INDIA VS WEST INDIES CRICKET SCHEDULE AND TEAM SQUADS

 

Just after the completion of 2nd edition of twenty20 World Cup in England, Indian team will tour Caribbean for four match ODI series against the West Indies. The first two ODI's of the series will be played in Jamaica while next two ODI's will be played in St Lucia.

India will play their first one day international on 26th June 2009. And the rest of three one day internationals will be played on 28th June, 3rd July and 5th July 2009.

All the matches will be telecast in India by Tensports TV Channel.

India Vs West Indies Schedule (All timing are mentioned in GMT+05:30)

 

19:00 PM
1st ODI – India v West Indies
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Sun 28 Jun

19:00 PM
2nd ODI – India v West Indies
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Fri 3 Jul

19:00 PM
3rd ODI – India v West Indies
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Sun 5 Jul

19:00 PM
4th ODI – India v West Indies
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia

 

Indian Squad: MS Dhoni (Captain/WK), Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, M Vijay, S Badrinath, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik (WK).

West Indies Squad for first two ODI's:Chris Gayle (Captain), Denesh Ramdin (WK), Lionel Baker, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Runako Morton, Ravi Rampaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.

BOOM BOOM SHAHID AFRIDI’S EXCELLANT PERFORMANCE PROVIDES T20 WORLD CUP VICTORY FOR PAKISTAN

Shahid Afridi charged Pakistan to World Twenty20 glory as previously-unbeaten Sri Lanka were defeated by eight wickets in the final at Lord's.

All-rounder Afridi hit an unbeaten 54 as he orchestrated a perfect Pakistani chase of their 139-run target.

Victory was sealed with eight balls to spare when Afridi scrambled a leg-bye.

Within seconds the entire squad and backroom staff knelt and kissed the hallowed turf in communal celebration. 

Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan were taken for 54 runs in their combined seven overs for the price of opener Shahzaib Hasan.

Crucially, it was Afridi's calculated attack on Murali, on his return to the attack for the 14th over, which proved pivotal.

Afridi sized up the first delivery of Murali's return and planted the ball into the Tavern Stand at deep midwicket.

The next one was flashed hard through extra-cover for four and by the end of the over Pakistan's asking rate was down to seven runs per over with just two wickets down. Nerves were settled.

Former captain Shoaib Malik scampered between the wickets to maintain a manageable rate and the result was effectively rubber-stamped when Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara gambled for the 18th over.

With 26 required by Pakistan, he opted to throw the ball to left-arm seamer Isuru Udana, and left Murali and Lasith Malinga in reserve.

Only seven runs had come from the first four but Afridi seized his chance to free the arms at the penultimate delivery, and launched another monstrous hit into the crowd at deep midwicket.

When he flicked the next one - called a no-ball for being over waist height - past short fine-leg for another boundary, the celebrations among a Pakistani-dominated crowd began.

The early impetus of the pursuit was provided by Kamran Akmal, who cracked two sixes and two fours in 37 from 38 balls.

It took the introduction of veteran left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya to quell the charge as he followed the batsman with his first delivery and earned a comfortable stumping.

Sri Lanka's 138 for six represented something of a fightback after Pakistan's strong response to being asked to field.

Of the top order, only captain Sangakkara, who struck an unbeaten 64, negotiated the Pakistani bowling attack with any conviction and the loss of four wickets in the powerplay limited their aspirations.

It was only thanks to Sangakkara's seventh-wicket partner Angelo Mathews, who once again highlighted his impact as a late-innings hitter with an impressive 35 not out, that they managed a challenging score.

It was veteran Abdul Razzaq who did the early damage for Pakistan inside the opening few overs.

Razzaq, in as a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat after a ban on Indian Cricket League players was lifted, claimed three wickets with the new ball.

Teenage fast bowler Mohammad Aamir began the tumble when he claimed the prize wicket of tournament top scorer Tillekeratne Dilshan with a successful short ball in the opening over.

Sangakkara plumped for the same tactics which have been integral to their success by opting to bat first.

Unbeaten Sri Lanka defended totals superbly in the tournament, including a previous meeting with Pakistan, when they won by 19 runs at the same ground.

This time, however, a stand of 68 merely kept the contest in the balance.

Mathews rode his luck as he plundered all but one of the 17 runs off teenager Aamir's final over - a two and an edged four from the first two deliveries followed by a nonchalant loft off his pads for a towering six over deep square-leg from the third.