Champions Trophy 2nd semi final Ind v SL

India 182/2 (35 overs)

WICKET Rohit b Mathews 33 (IND 77-1)
Well, I didn't see that coming. And neither did the majority of the crowd, judging by the stunned silence around Cardiff. Rohit charges Mathews and aims an ugly swipe across the line, misses and turns to see the ball clip the top of middle stump. Ignominious.

WICKET- Dhawan st Sangakkara b Mendis 68 (Ind 142-2)

Bowling a damp evening on a seaming wicket in Cardiff is a far cry from a scorching afternoon on a 'bunsen' in Colombo, but Mendis, to his credit, beats the outside edge of Dhawan's bat twice in succession. The left-hander drags his back foot out off the second and the alert Sangakkara completes the stumping. It needed the help of the TV replay to send Dhawan packing for 68. Sri Lanka's muted celebrations said it all.

India 182 for 2 (Dhawan 68, Kohli 58*) beat Sri Lanka 181 for 8 (Mathews 51, Ishant 3-33, Ashwin 3-48) by 8 wickets
The only glitches in India's march into the final were two sets of pitch invaders running on to the field on two separate occasions. On a Cardiff surface with a lot of moisture, the ball seamed, bounced steeply and turned appreciably, and the Indian bowlers were all over Sri Lanka after winning the toss. In the afternoon, the Indian openers continued their run of impressive stands, adding 77 through some luck and some attractive shots, and India cruised home with 15 overs to spare.
 

It would have reminded India of their first day of international cricket in South Africa on the 2010-11 tour, when they were inserted on a pitch that had absorbed a lot of rain and were bowled out for 136. Watching the first innings of this match, it seemed Sri Lanka had done well to not be rolled over for 136 themselves. The conditions were so juicy India's three frontline quicks bowled the first 22 overs - even MS Dhoni had a bowl later - and India either beat the bat or hit edge on 68 occasions.

 

The Sri Lankan batsmen couldn't be blamed much, except for probably Kusal Perera. They had to dig in hard just to survive. They strived to - Kumar Sangakkara had left alone 12 out of his first 32 balls - but eventually the ball with your name arrived. However, what really foiled Sri Lanka's plans was the assistance the pitch provided to spin, which they hadn't budgeted for when they were batting out the quicks like it was a Test. The quicks went for 98 for four wickets in their 30 overs; the spinners took four wickets for 81 in their 20.

 

The pitch might have been great help, but India exploited the toss advantage with impressive accuracy. The first extra came in the 20th over. Angelo Mathews, among others, fought the conditions, but like others he too fell the moment he became adventurous.

 

It didn't help that Sri Lanka had lost Dinesh Chandimal to injury before the match began and Tillakaratne Dilshan retired hurt in the fifth over. Kusal showed again that his game is not suited for these conditions as he followed a full and wide delivery to edge it for Suresh Raina to take one of his three catches at second slip. It was the seventh time in 12 matches that Buvneshwar Kumar had taken a wicket in his first spell, including five openers dismissed in single figures.

Then Dilshan seemed to have pulled his calf while trying to keep out a sharply swinging delivery. He tried to bat on, but with the new no-runner regulations he had to leave the field.

Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne began to play it like the first morning of a Test, and justifiably so.

India kept the pressure up with Bhuvneshwar bowling a nine-over spell, and Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma getting appreciable movement every time they landed the ball on the seam.

 

Ishant got the ball to stick into the pitch and steep tennis-ball bounce too.

 

Sangakkara began to take the odd risk at the end of the 13th over, but when he charged at Bhuvneshwar and square-drove him for the first boundary since the fourth over, the score had reached only 32. Around this time, Ishant was beginning to get balls to misbehave a lot. The batsmen had to start playing at balls sooner or later, and when they did it didn't bring good news.

 

The combination of that bounce and seam movement finally accounted for Thirimanne, who followed a short-of-a-length delivery and fended in front of his chest. Sangakkara provided a replay in case you had missed it. Raina had taken all three, and the score now was 41 for 3 after 18 overs. It was so inviting that when Dhoni finally took off a seamer after 22 overs, he gave up the pads and began to bowl the 24th over.

 

During their 78-run stand in 18.1 overs, Mahela Jayawardene and Mathews successfully reviewed an lbw call each, and seemed to have put Sri Lanka back on track. With the ball turning thanks to the moisture, their plans unravelled. Jayawardene was bowled by a Jadeja skidder, and the batting Powerplay's analysis read 5-2-12-1.

 

Everyone who tried big hits in the remaining overs fell to the tricks of the pitch. Dilshan came back to bat for the last two overs. Sri Lanka, though, could manage just the 54 in the last 10. About an hour later, by when the Indian openers had seen off the Nuwan Kulasekara threat, it almost seemed the pitch had lost all its moisture. Shikhar Dhawan continued to drive and cut fearlessly, Rohit Sharma continued to provide the starts, and Virat Kohli added a fifty to four centuries in his last seven matches against Sri Lanka.

 

Sri Lanka didn't help themselves. They used Lasith Malinga - their best hope despite his poor record against India - only for three overs at the top and then when India had chugged along to 93 for 1. They dropped Dhawan thrice, first when he was on 18. India were not complaining, though.

25 overs India 104 for 1 (Dhawan 48*, Kohli 14*) need another 78 to beat Sri Lanka 181 for 8 (Mathews 51, Jayawardene 38, Ishant 3-33, Ashwin 3-48)

India were well on their way to making it to the final of the Champions Trophy as Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma provided India with yet another solid start, adding 77 for the first wicket. The pitch still tested the batsmen, especially when Nuwan Kulasekara bowled, but the Indian openers were both brave and fortunate in weathering the storm. Dhawan was dropped by Angelo Mathews when 18, Rohit Sharma had a few edges elude the cordon, but once settled they ran away with the game.

Mathews finally broke through with Rohit's wicket, but that only brought out Virat Kohli, who has scored four centuries in his last seven matches against Sri Lanka. Dhawan and Kohli chugged along, and once again the under-utilisation of Lasith Malinga stood out. He bowled just three overs at the top, and came back when the score was 93 for 1.

Sri Lanka 181/8 50 overs


FOW: Perera c Raina b Kumar 4 (6/1) Bhuvneshwar strikes early once more, Perera falls early once more, this was pitched up and outside off, asking to be driven, Perera looks to punch it through extra cover, a thick outside edge results and that ball flies at a comfortable height to Raina at second slip, Bhuvneshwar getting the ball to swing here

WICKET - Thirimanne c Raina b Ishant 7 (SL 36-2)

And so one of the most painful innings this Champions Trophy is seen comes to an end. Ishant puts Thirimanne out of his misery, angling one across him and finding a thick outside edge as the batsmen pushed away from his body off the back foot. Raina, still at second slip, holds a beauty, low to his right.

WICKET - Sangakkara c Raina b Ishant 17 (SL 41-3)

The impressive Ishant gets the biggie. Having located Jayawardene's thick edge earlier in the over, he finds a fainter nick off Sangakkara off the last ball as the batsman plays back. Raina, needless to say, makes no mistake moving to his right at second slip. That's a hat-trick of catches. Does he get to keep the match ball?

WICKET - Jayawardene b Jadeja 38 (SL 119-4)

Something had to give there. Jayawardene, attempting to up the ante, is bowled trying to pull the first ball of Jadeja's eighth over, Was that pushed through a little quicker? Did it keep low? No matter. Sri Lanka lose another key man and India are dominant.

WICKET - Mathews c Kumar b Ashwin 51 (SL 158-5)
Kumar shows Kohli how it should be done, making no mistake with as Mathews, aiming leg side, offers another chance via a leading edge. The skipper departs for 51 off 89 balls and Thisara Perera arrives at the crease.

WICKET - Perera c Dhawan b Ishant 0 (SL 160-6)
Perera swings and misses twice, then swings and connects - yet finds only Dhawan at deep midwicket. An ugly end to an innings but no blame attached to the tailender. Not much else he could do, surely?

WICKET Kulasekara b Ashwin 1 (SL 164-7)
Ashwin cleans up Kulasekara in humiliating fashion. The batsman steps inside one that's angled in towards leg stump from round the wicket, so much so that it clips leg stump. The bails drop off and a bewildered Kulasekara can't quite believe it - he needs a replay to convince him to leave the crease. Safe to say, it's not been Sri Lanka's day.

WICKET - Mendis st Dhoni b Ashwin 25 (SL 171-8)
Ashwin lures Mendis down the pitch, Mendis mows and misses, and Dhoni completes the stumping with the minimum of fuss.

50 overs Sri Lanka 181 for 8 (Mathews 51, Jayawardene 38, Ishant 3-33, Ashwin 3-48) v India 

This might have been the 55th international match between India and Sri Lanka in the last five years but there was no familiarity in Cardiff to breed contempt. In alien conditions - finally England seems to be hosting the Champions Trophy - the moist pitch offered sharp seam movement, steep bounce and even turn to the spinners. Sri Lanka had to dig in hard just to survive, leave alone scoring runs. Thanks to the discipline they gave themselves a fighting total on a pitch they could have easily been bowled out for 140 or so.

The batsmen couldn't be blamed much, except for Kusal Perera. They tried and tried - Kumar Sangakkara had at one point left alone 12 out of his first 32 balls - but eventually the ball with your name arrived. The pitch was so seamer-friendly that even MS Dhoni fancied a bowl and nearly got a wicket. What foiled Sri Lanka's plans was the assistance the pitch provided to spin, which they hadn't budgeted for when they were batting out the quicks like it was a Test match. If the quicks bowled the first 22 overs out and went for 98 for four wickets in their 30 overs, the spinners took four wickets for 81 in their 20.

 

Cardiff had taken a lot of rain before the match started half an hour late, and the pitch had retained enough moisture to render accurate bowling unplayable. And after winning the crucial toss, India were accurate enough to exploit the conditions. The first extra came in the 20th over, and on 68 occasions they either beat the bat or hit the edge. Angelo Mathews, among others, fought the conditions, but like others he too fell the moment he became adventurous.

 

It didn't help that Sri Lanka had lost to injuries Dinesh Chandimal before the match started and Tillakaratne Dilshan in the fifth over. Kusal showed again his game is not suited for these conditions as he followed a full and wide delivery to edge it for Suresh Raina to take one of his three second-slip catches. This was the seventh time in his 12 matches that Buvneshwar Kumar had taken a wicket in his first spell, including five openers dismissed in single figures.

 

Then Dilshan seemed to have pulled his calf while trying to keep out a sharply swinging delivery. He tried to bat on, but with the new no-runner regulations in play he had to retire-hurt. Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne then began to play it like the first morning of a Test, and justifiably so. You can't completely forget, though, that this is an ODI.

 

India kept the pressure up with Bhuvneshwar bowling a nine-over spell, and Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma getting appreciable movement every time they landed the ball on the seam. Ishant got the ball to stick into the pitch and steep tennis-ball bounce too.

 

Sangakkara began to take the odd risk at the end of the 13th over, but when he charged at Bhuvneshwar and square-drove him for the first boundary since the fourth over, the score had reached only 32. Around this time, Ishant was beginning to get balls to misbehave a lot. The batsmen had to start playing at balls sooner or later, and when they did it didn't bring good news.

 

The combination of that bounce and seam movement finally accounted for Thirimanne, who followed a short-of-a-length delivery and fended in front of his chest. Sangakkara provided a replay in case you had missed it. Raina had taken all three, and the score now was 41 for 3 after 18 overs. It was so inviting that when Dhoni finally took off a seamer after 22 overs, he gave up the pads and began to bowl in the 24th over.

 

During their 78-run stand over 18.1 overs, Mahela Jayawardene and Mathews successfully reviewed an lbw call each, and seemed to have put Sri Lanka back on track. With the ball turning thanks to the moisture, their plans were put paid to. Jayawardene was bowled by a Jadeja skidder, and the batting Powerplay's analysis read 5-2-12-1.

 

Everyone that tried big hits in the remaining overs fell to the tricks of the pitch. Dilshan came back to bat for the last two overs. Sri Lanka, though, could manage just the 54 in the last 10.

 
25 overs Sri Lanka 72 for 3 (Mathews 17*, Jayawardene 13*, Ishant 2-18) v India

This might have been the 55th international match between India and Sri Lanka but there was no familiarity in Cardiff to breed contempt. In alien conditions - finally England seems to be hosting the Champions Trophy - the moist pitch offered sharp seam movement and steep bounce, and India quicks were all over Sri Lanka.

The batsmen couldn't be blamed much, except for Kusal Perera. They tried and tried - Kumar Sangakkara had at one point left alone 12 out of his first 32 balls - but eventually the ball with your name arrived. And the 25-over score of 72 for 3 looked better than it was: Tillakaratne Dilshan had retired hurt.

Cardiff had taken a lot of rain before the match started half an hour late and the pitch had retained enough moisture to render accurate bowlers unplayable.

 

 Even MS Dhoni fancied a bowl. India were accurate enough to use the conditions. The first extra came in the 20th over, and on 34 occasions in the first 25 overs India either beat the bat or hit the edge. Only towards the end of the first 25 overs had Angelo Mathews taken a few calculated risks to push India's foot off Sri Lanka's throat a little.

 

It began with Buvneshwar Kumar taking a wicket in his first spell for the seventh time in the 12 matches he has played.

 

Kusal was the fifth opener he has taken out in single figures when the batsman pushed at a full ball away from his body. Suresh Raina took the first of his three second-slip catches. Soon, Dilshan fell over while trying to cover a sharply swinging delivery, and seemed to have pulled a calf muscle. He tried hard to bat on, but with the new no-runner regulations in play, he could not continue batting.

 

Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne then began to play this like a Test innings before lunch on day one, and justifiably so. The runs, though, were not coming. India kept the pressure up with Bhuvneshwar bowling a nine-over spell, and Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma getting appreciable movement every time they landed the ball on the seam. Ishant got the ball to stick into the pitch and extracted steep tennis-ball bounce.

 

The combination of that bounce and seam movement finally accounted for Thirimanne, who followed a short-of-a-length delivery and fended in front of his chest. Raina was into the action again.

 

Sangakkara began to take the odd risk by the end of the 13th over. When he charged at Bhuvneshwar and square-drove him for the first four of the innings since the fourth over, the score had reached only 36. Around this time, Ishant was beginning to get balls to misbehave a lot. Sangakkara, too, got a delivery similar to the one Thirimanne got, and Raina accepted the edge again.

 

As the seamers began to run out of overs - they bowled the first 22 between them - Dhoni took the pads off, and came on to bowl the 24th. He nearly got Mahela Jayawardene with a big inswinger, but the review of the lbw showed he had got an inside edge.

Toss India won it and will bowl, play 11am

LINE-UPS

India team: Dhawan, R Sharma, Kohli, D Karthik, Raina, MS Dhoni (wk, capt), Jadeja, Ashwin, I Sharma, B Kumar, Yadav.

Sri Lanka team: K Perera, Dilshan, Sangakkara (wk), M Jayawardene, J Mendis, Mathews (capt), Thirimanne, Kulasekara, Herath, T Perera, Malinga.