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August 27, 2010

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India crushes Kiwis for a spot in final

OPENER Virender Sehwag's stylish century and tight seam bowling by Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel guided India into the tri-series final with a crushing 105-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday.

Set a victory target of 224, New Zealand was bowled out for 118 in just 30.1 overs, its lowest one-day international total against India. Lower-order batsman Kyle Mills provided the only resistance with 52 from 35 balls.

Sehwag earlier underpinned India's innings by hitting 110 off 93 balls as India was all out for 223 at Rangiri Dambulla Stadium. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (38), who won the toss and elected to bat, was one of only two other batsmen to make it into double figures.

Sehwag said patience was the key to his innings as he slowly got the better of New Zealand's attack.

"For the first three to four overs, I was watching how the pitch was going to behave," Sehwag said. "I knew if I played my shots, the bowlers will go on the back foot and give me more loose balls."

India will play tournament host Sri Lanka in the final tomorrow.

The Black Caps started their chase poorly when they lost Martin Guptill, who was trapped LBW to Kumar, for a first-ball duck with just one run on the board. Seamer Ashish Nehra bowled B J Watling (2) and Kumar returned to have captain Ross Taylor (8) caught by Dhoni to leave New Zealand on 14-3.

New Zealand never recovered from its poor start as the India bowlers took advantage of the bowler-friendly conditions under lights.

Mills' entertaining knock included three sixes and seven boundaries but it came far too late. Patel returned the best bowling figures for India with 3-21 but it was Kumar who was instrumental in the victory, taking three top-order wickets early and conceding 34 runs off eight overs.

Sehwag stood out in India's innings as other batsmen faltered, claiming his 13th one-day international century. His knock included 16 boundaries and a six.

His team made a disappointing start by losing Dinesh Karthik to the third ball of the innings without a run having been scored, seamer Mills having the right-hander caught by wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins.

India soon lost three more wickets and was struggling on 66-4 when Sehwag and Dhoni combined for the best partnership of the innings - 107 runs off 116 balls - to rescue their side.



 

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