India will not only require to win their last league game of the CB series against Sri Lanka but also garner a bonus point if they have to extend their stay in Australia. We’ll bring you the live scores and commentary of the action starting at 1.50 pm on Tuesday.
Whether poor performances led to the in-fighting between the Indian cricketers or it happened the other way around is a matter for debate. What isn’t too much of a question is that they have been rather shoddy with the bat, inconsistent with the ball and about passable in the field in the tournament.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have gone from strength to strength since their opening two defeats. They tied against India and then went on to win three in a row – two of them against Australia – to almost seal their finals berth.
The Lankan task is simple – to get to the final, they need to prevent India from getting a bonus point. The way things have gone for India, winning a game looks difficult enough, let alone winning that extra point.
India need a batting overhaul but they do not have too many in their reserves. Rohit Sharma has been tried but he struggled while the one other batsman who could be tried, Manoj Tiwary has sat twiddling his thumb throughout the series.
Either way, Suresh Raina needs to sit out this one after his poor run of form has refused to cease.
Sri Lanka will go into the game with the same team unless there are any fitness issues, especially to their pace bowling quartet of Malinga, Kulasekara, Mathews and Perera.
India have yet to win a toss this series after the first game, which has meant that they have been chasing targets all series long. And the bonus-point situation now demands that they bat second given that they will then know what their target will be, as compared to restricting Sri Lanka to a score lesser than they make.
We will bring you the coverage throughout this 11th CB series ODI from the Bellerive Oval in Hobart and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The Indian team would be asking, 'what the hell, where was such a pitch all summer'!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Yes Jason, the rules suggest that both the Powerplays - Batting and Bowling - need to be taken earliest at the 16th and latest by the 36th over. Jayawardene was left with no option but to take it when the Kohli-Raina pair was in full flow. In the hindsight, he could have taken it as soon as it became available - in the 16th over.
Jason
Guest
Does anyone know if Mahela had to take the bowling PP before the 40th over?
Red Kev
Roar Guru
Yeah looks like I called that one a little early.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
What the hell... Where has this India been all summer?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That was some game of cricket, certainly right up there with the best I have watched. South Africa's chase of 434 against Australia and India's win against England in the Natwest Trophy final are two others I can think of right now. What has your favourite ODI match been? Does this count as one in your top five? That is it from me, Geoff will be back to cover the last league game of the tri-series between Australia and Sri Lanka on Friday.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Kohli is the man of the match. As expected, gives the entire team, credit for the performance. He adds that he tried to not repeat the mistakes from the previous games where he had tried to hit everything off the middle. This game, he says, he tried to play on despite not getting it in the middle.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mahela Jayawardene has this to say at the conference: Cannot do much when someone bats like that, didn't pick up wickets early and Kohli batted really well. India batted well and it wasn't just Kohli but everyone who contributed to the win. Dhoni: It was staggering, it was one of the best ODI match I have been a part of. Then he describes the entire innings like he is a match analyst. He adds, we were expecting to restrict them to 250-260 but we were lucky to get the start we got. And yes, he also adds that he will do a lot of shopping the next 4-5 days. To go with some practice.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
I wonder if Malinga's 1/96 in 7.4 will be one of the more remembered figures in international cricket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just to reiterate, India needed to score 321 within 40 overs to remain alive in the tournament. They got there in 36.4, which - hypothetically speaking - means that had they batted at the same rate, would have scored almost 440. 69 runs came in the last five overs of the batting.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
India now await the winner of the game between Australia and Sri Lanka to understand their fate. If Sri Lanka win, they will still go through to the final but if Australia can put it across Sri Lanka (to whom they have lost two in a row), then India will face the home team in the final. A tie will also see Australia and Sri Lanka through.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just before the Test century he hit at Perth, Kohli was being hounded by scribes because of his poor form. To this he replied with (something to the effect of) 'I have so many ODI centuries, it cannot be a fluke'. Fair to say tonight (on a flat pitch alright), that Kohli has shown his class.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That was an innings to remember from Kohli. As I mentioned earlier, Dilshan was excellent with his stroke-play but Kohli has stolen his thunder with an 86-ball 133. Raina gave him company till the end with a 24-ball 40 in a stand that 120 runs from 9.1 overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! All over, India have won the game in 36.4 overs and if I were a Sri Lankan, I will have the right to drown my sorrows with a glass or three tonight.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Enough of peppering the leg-side, this time an over-pitched ball is smashed over the extra-cover. 4 needed to win.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Kohli's on 124 and he has faced only 83 balls. Malinga has a chance to avenge it now. He will be bowling the 37th.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
3/311 in 36 overs. Incidentally, Malinga's bowling figures read a classic 1/86 in seven overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sri Lanka can still qualify for the final obviously, if they beat Australia but the big question is if they can recover from this pounding.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
India need 18 from five overs. To get the bonus point.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! I am tired of typing. I can easily paste the comment just below and it will not make any difference. Same ball, same direction, same shot and same result. They have gotten to 3/303 in 35 overs. 46 balls for the third century.