Complacent India go down to Sri Lanka in 5th ODI, win Idea Cup 3-2

Indian batsmen produced an unbelievable batting display in an inconsequential match against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The Indian batsmen threw their wickets without battling an eye-lid, as if they were in a hurry to board the flight. In a rain-interrupted match, Sri Lanka beat India by 112 runs under D/L method. India won the Idea Cup 3-2.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Both teams made a few changes to their playing XI. Sri Lanka made 227/6 in 50 overs. Thushara was the top scorer with an unbeaten 54. J Mubarak remained unbeaten on 47. Udawatte and Warnapura made 43 and 30 respectively. For India, Pathan and Ojha took 2 wickets each. Ojha was very impressive with a figure of 10 overs - 4 maiden - 28 runs - 2 wickets.

Chasing a victory target of 228, India were 70/3 in 14.2 over when rain stopped play. When the play resumed, India got a revised target of 216 off 44 overs. However, none of the Indian batsmen could handle the pressure and the team bowled out for 103 in 26.3 overs. Virat Kohli was the top scorer with 31. Kulasekara and Mendis took 4 wickets each, while Fernando took 2 wickets. Kulasekara was declared "Man of the Match". Mahendra Singh Dhoni was adjudged "Man of the Series".

MS Dhoni is No. 1 in ICC ODI Rankings

India's ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the new No. 1 in ICC ODI rankings. He replaced South Africa's Greame Smith in the latest ODI rankings. This is the second time Dhoni reached the top slot in ICC ODI rankings. Dhoni tops the table with 803 points. Dhoni successfully guided India to its first-ever ODI series win in Sri Lanka. He has batting very well throughout the series.

India win Idea Cup, first-ever ODI Series win in Sri Lanka

Breaking News! India made history in Sri Lanka by winning the ODI series on Sri Lankan soil 23 years after Sri Lanka made entry to world cricket. India beat Sri Lanka by 46 runs in the 4th ODI at Colombo to take an unbeaten lead of 3-1 in the series. This win holds a lot of significance, as this is India's first-ever ODI series win in Sri Lanka.

Chasing a victory target of 259, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals, even though Jayasuriya held the fort with his explosive batting. He made 60 off 52 balls. Kapugedera made 30, while Thushara played a brilliant innings of 40. Sri Lanka bowled out for 212 in 46.3 overs. For India, Harbhajan claimed 3 wickets, while Munaf Patel and Yuvraj Singh took 2 wickets each. Suresh Raina was declared "Man of the Match".

Fourth ODI: India lose advantage, Sri Lanka needs 259 to win

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina yet again emerged as India's saviour after Gambhir and Yuvraj fell cheaply in the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka. They were supported by opener Virat Kohli. At one stage India were 224/3 in 40.5 overs. However, a Sri Lankan bowlers bounced back to trigger a shocking batting collapse for India. India lost the remaining 7 wickets in just 34 runs and bowled out for 258 in 49.4 overs.

For India, Raina was the top scorer with 76. Dhoni made 71, while Virat Kohli contributed 54. For Sri Lanka, Thushara took 5 wickets. Chaminda Vaas became the fourth bowler in ODI history after Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Muttiah Muralitharan to take 400 wickets. Sri Lanka needs 259 to win the match and level the series 2-2. India will desperately looking forward to win the match to take an unassailable lead in the series.

Dhoni leads the way, as India win 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka

It was a good fight between the bat and the ball, but in the end, India scored an emphatic 33-run victory over Sri Lanka in the 3rd ODI at Colombo. India now leads the 5-match seriesd 2-1. MS Dhoni, who is dubbed as "unlucky" with the coin, won the toss third time in a row and decided to bat first. Indian batsmen started well, but lost the way in the middle.

Thanks to Dhoni and Raina, India managed to score 237/9 in 50 overs. Dhoni scored 76, while Raina made 53. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli contributed 32 and 25 respectively. For Sri Lanka, Mendis took 3 wickets, while Thushara and Kulasekara took 2 wickets each. In reply, Sri Lanka started off very badly and lost quick wickets.

At one stage, Sri Lanka were 94/7, but Jayawardene and Thushar batted superbly to give Sri Lanka a good chance of winning the match. They added 81 runs for the 8th wicket. Thushara made 30. Jayawardene fought the lone battle and was out for 94. Sri Lanka bowled for 204 in 49 overs. Indian pace bowlers once again performed well under pressure and shared 8 wickets between them. Zaheer and Munaf took 3 wickets each, while Pankaj Kumar took 2 wickets. Skipper Dhoni was declared "Man of the Match".

Breaking News! ICC Champions Trophy postponed for 1 Year

Breaking News! Bowing to the pressure from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, the ICC finally decided to postpone the ICC Champions Trophy for one year, which was scheduled to be held in Pakistan from September 12, 2008. The ICC had to take this extreme step after South Africa pulled out of the tournament and other countries threatened to follow suit due to security concerns in Pakistan. The ICC confirmed that there would be no Champions Trophy in 2008.

The rise in suicide bomb blasts in Pakistan created panic among cricket playing countries and foreign players had reservations about playing in Pakistan under these circumstances. Although the Asian bloc including India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh supported Pakistan on this issue, the ICC had to scrap the Champions Trophy after taking the views of all countries. There was a huge divide between the "White bloc" and "Asian bloc", but the White countries had the final say.

India v Sri Lanka: India win the 2nd ODI to make the series alive

The victory target for India was just 143. But it wasn't a smooth ride for the out-of-form Indian batsmen. Virat Kohli, Badrinath and skipper MS Dhoni fought hard to give India a 3-wicket over Sri Lanka in the 2nd ODI at Dambulla.

It was the partnership between Dhoni and Badrinath that saved the day for India. India reached the target 143 in 38.4 overs, losing 7 wickets. Dhoni was the top scorer with 39. Virat Kohli made 37, while Yuvraj contributed 20. S Badrinath remained unbeaten on 27. For Sri Lanka, Kulasekara, Thushara and Mendis took 2 wickets each. Zaheer Khan was declared "Man of the Match".

Second ODI: Zaheer, Praveen strike, Sri Lanka bowled out for 142

Breaking News! The injury-hit Indian cricket team, which relied on its pace battery, got a fantastic response from its main bowlers Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar. The Sri Lankan batsmen surrendered before the Indian bowlers and bowled out for 142 in 38.3 overs. At one stage, Sri Lanka were 44/6. But a seventh-wicket partnership of 74 between Thushara and Kulasekara saved them from further embarrassment.

Thushara made 44, while Kulasekara scored 25. For India, Zaheer bagged 4 wickets, while Praveen Kumar took 3 wickets. Harbhajan Singh claimed two wickets. India made a couple of changes to their playing XI. Injured Gautam Gambhir is out of the team and debutant S Badrinath replaced him. Pacer Praveen Kumar came in place of spinner Pragyan Oha. India need 143 to win the match and level the series 1-1.

First ODI: Sri Lanka beat India by 8 Wickets

The Indian batsmen yet again failed before the magic of Mendis and Murali. On a flat batting wicket, the batsmen failed miserably and Sri Lanka had a cake walk with a 8-wicket win over India. Indian batsmen looked very helpless from the very beginning even when the seamers were bowling. In a shameful display of batting, India bowled out for 146 in just 46 overs. Yuvraj Singh was the top scorer with 23. Rohit Sharma made 19. For Sri Lanka, Mendis and Murali took 3 wickets each. Kulasekhara took 2 wickets.

The Indian bowlers had nothing to defend and they gave in to Sri Lankan batsmen Jayawardene and Kapugedera. Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 61, while Kapugedera remained unbeaten on 45. Sri Lanka reached the target in 34.5 overs. For India, Munaf Patel claimed both Sri Lankan wickets. India's nemesis Ajantha Mendis was declared "Man of the Match".

Indo-SRi Lanka ODI Series from tomorrow, Sehwag ruled out of 1st ODI

The much awaited ODI series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin tomorrow. There will be five matches in the series and first two matches will be held in Dambulla. Both matches will be held during day time. The remaining three matches will be played under floodlights at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The Indian team, which is struggling with the form and fitness, received another jolt on the eve of the first ODI, as leading batsman Virender Sehwag was ruled out of the first ODI due to an ankle injury. Sehwag injured his ankle during practice today. Virat Kohli is expected to replace Sehwag in the playing XI.

Team:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Subramaniam Badrinath, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Rudra Pratap Singh, Munaf Patel and Pragyan Ojha.

Sri Lanka:

Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedara, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Jehan Mubarak and Malinda Warnapura.

National Shame at Colombo, India loses Test Series against Sri Lanka

While India's ace shooter Abhinav Bindra made the country proud by winning the first-ever individual gold medal for India at Beijing Olympics, cash-rich Indian cricket team went down to Sri Lanka by 8 wickets at Colombo to lose the match and the test series. Sri Lanka won the test series 2-1. Chasing a victory target of 122, Sri Lanka lost two quick wickets with just 22 runs on board. However, Warnapura and M Jayawardene saw Sri Lanka through without further damage.

Injured Ishant Sharma did not take to field. India opened their bowling attack with Zaheer and Harbhajan. Warnapura remained unbeaten on 54, while Jayawardene remained not oout on 50. Sri Lanka won the test series 2-1 and shattered India's hopes of winning the series in Sri Lanka after 18 years.

Kumara Sangakkara was declared "Man of the Match", while Ajantha Mendis, who took 26 wickets in his first three test matches, was adjudged "Man of the Series". It could be recalled that Mendis had the "Man of the Series" award in Asia Cup 2008, which was his first ODI tournament. Mendis has been a revelation for Sri Lanka and can lead the bowling attack after Muralitharan's retirement.

Colombo Test: India bowled out for 268, Sri Lanka needs 122 to win

Breaking News! India bowled out for 268 in the second innings of the third test at Colombo. Dravid and Laxman scored half centuries. Dravid made 68, while Laxman remained unbeaten on 61. Harbhajan Singh made 26. For Sri Lanka. Muralitharan and Mendis took 3 wickets each, while Prasad claimed two wickets. Sri Lanka needs just 122 runs to win the match and test series.

Sachin ruled out of ODI Series against Sri Lanka, Badrinath gets nod

Breaking News! Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka after injuring his elbow in the third and final test match at Colombo. Although Sachin's injury is very serious, he has been advised rest by the doctors. S Badrinath will replace Sachin in the squad.

India heading for a humiliating defeat in Colombo Test

It's almost over. Indian batsmen continued their bad run for the sixth successive time in this test series. The much experienced Indian batting line up collapsed like a pack of cards before the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack. Even Sri Lankan lower order batsmen produced much better performance than the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. At the end of third day's play, India has a lead of just 14 runs and have only 5 wickets remaining including that of Kumble, Harbhajan, Zaheer and Ishant Sharma.

Earlier, Sri Lanka took a crucial 147-run lead in the first innings, which turned out to be huge for the Indian batsmen to handle. Sehwag and Gambhir opened the innings in a style. Both batsmen added 62 for the first wicket. However, debutant fast bowler D Prasad yet again caused the damage by removing both Sehwag and Gambhir within a span of three runs. Once they were out, the result of the match was not difficult to guess.

Ganguly yet again faltered and scored only 18. Parthiv Patel was promoted up the order, but he made only 1. Sachin Tendulkar took the field despite the injury, but survived only 22 balls to score 14. Ajantha Mendis claimed Tendulkar's wicket, which has been his dream since the beginning of the series. India finished at 161/5 at stumps. Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on 46, while Laxman was batting on 16. For Sri Lanka, Prasad and Mendis took 2 wickets each.

Ironically, both Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly failed to score even a half century in any of the six innings of the three-test match series. Laxman got one half century so far, while Dravid is fighting to complete his first 50 of the series. Now it's high time Indian selectors take some tough decisions and rebuild the Indian test team. We can't rely on Sehwag and Gambhir every time. We need to strengthen our middle order.

Lower Order frustrate India, as Sri Lanka takes 147-run first innings lead

Kumara Sangakkara and then the Sri Lankan lower order frustrated India's game plans to a considerable extent. Sri Lanka bowled out for 396, but their last four batsmen batted till tea, while India struggled without the service of injured Ishant Sharma. Sangakkara scored 144, while Prasanna Jayawardene made 49. Debutant fast bowler Dammika Prasad too scored 36. For India, Zaheer, Kumble and Harbhajan took 3 wickets each.

With a solid 147-run first innings lead, Sri Lanka is all set to go for a kill against the "injured" team India. While Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar are struggling to stand on their feet, Ishant Sharma too is unlikely to bat in the second innings. Parthiv Patel, who was hit on the nose yesterday, is not fully fit. If Sehwag and Gambhir fail, India would crush to another humiliating defeat.

Sangakkara hits Century, Sri Lanka hold upper hand over India

Kumara Sangakkara is all set to take the game away from India, as he powered Sri Lanka to gain a lead over India on the second day of the third test match at Colombo. Indian bowlers tried their best, but Sri Lanka managed to reach 251/6 at the end of second day's play. Sangakkara remained unbeaten on 107. Vaas made 47, while Samaraweera scored 35.

For India, Zaheer and Harbhajan took 2 wickets each. If Sri Lanka could add 80 - 100 more to their total, they will have a great chance to win this test match and series.

Shameful Batting Display by Indian Cricketers at Colombo

Indian test team need to be revamped with the infusion of young and dynamic players to the team. It became clear that India's "Big 4" can no longer hold themselves to take up the challenges of modern day cricket. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman all faltered in the recent series against Sri Lanka. They just failed to lift themselves. the failure of top four batsmen have compounded India's problems to a great extent.

In the third and final test match at Colombo, Indian batsmen yet again produced a lacklustre batting performance and perished without a fight. Barring Gautam Gambhir, none of the Indian batsmen had any answer to Sri Lanka's bowling attack.

At one stage, India were 92/1. But they soon lost the momentum and bowled out for 249. India managed to reach 249, because of a last wicket partnership of 51 between Ishant and Zaheer. Gambhir was the top scorer with 72. Ganguly scored 35, while Laxman made 25. Zaheer scored a brilliant 32.

Laxman, who was considered as the best batsman against spin bowling, fell to Sri Lanka's new sensation Ajantha Mendis for the fifth time in a row. Mendis has so far claimed Rahul Dravid's wicket four times in this series. Since the Asia Cup final in Pakistan, Mendis has maintained a firm control over Indian batsmen and except Sehwag, no one has been able to read him properly. Mendis took 5 wickets in India's first innings. Prasad claimed three wickets, while Muralitharan took 2 wickets.

Third Test at Colombo: India in Trouble, as debutant Prasad strikes

After winning the toss and elected to bat first, India made a good start with both Sehwag and Gambhir adding 50 runs in just 7 overs. However, debutant fast bowler Dammika Prasad struck thrice to remove Sehwag and out-of-form batsmen Dravid (10) and Tendulkar (6). Sehwag scored 21. Gautam Gambhir completed his half century and is batting on 56.

India were 102/2 when reports last came in. Prasad claimed all three wickets on a pitch that suits fast bowlers better than spinners. Prasad claimed Sachin's wicket through the review system. Both Sri Lanka and India have made one changes each to their squads. While Parthiv Patel replaced Karthik in Indian squad, Dammika Prasad replaced Kulasekhara in the Sri Lankan squad.

ODI Squad for Sri Lanka: Sachin, Zaheer retun; Parthiv, Virat get nod

Breaking News! Indian selectors announced a 16-member squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Dhoni has been retained as the skipper of the team. Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan returned to the team, while Parthiv Patel and Munaf Patel have been recalled. India's U-19 captain, Virat Kohli is the only new face in the team. The team was announced by BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah. Mr. Niranjan Shah also announced a 15-member team for the Champions Trophy.

Ishant Sharma has been rested for Sri Lanka series so that he can replace Munaf Patel in the Champions Trophy. Parthiv Patel has been dropped out of the 15-member Champions Trophy squad. S Sreesanth, who has not yet recovered from an injury, will miss both Sri Lanka series and Champions Trophy.

The Team for ODI Series in Sri Lanka:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh and Munaf Patel.

The Team for Champions Trophy in Pakistan:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh.

MS Dhoni gets Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

India's ODI and Twenty20 skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been chosen for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. which is considered as the country's highest sports award. Dhoni is the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to receive Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

The committee headed by legendary sportsperson Milkha Singh, chose Dhoni out of a set of nominations. The BCCI has welcomed the decision after Rahul Dravid missed out on the award on a previous occasion, although he was a deserving candidate to win it.

India win Galle Test by 170 runs, level Test Series

Breaking News! India avenged their defeat at Colombo by winning the Galle Test by a comprehensive margin of 170 runs. Chasing a victory target of 307, Sri Lanka bowled out for a paltry 136 in the second innings.

At one stage, they were 130/5, but lost five remaining wickets in just 6 runs. Samaraweera remained unbeaten on 68, while Dilashan made 38. Harbhajan Singh took 4 wickets, while Ishant Sharma took 3 wickets. Anil Kumble too took 2 wickets. Harbhajan took 10 wickets in the match.

With this win, India levelled the three-test match series 1-1 with one match to go. India, high on confidence, can expect to turn it on Sri Lanka again and win the series 2-1. Virender Sehwag, who scored 201* and 50 in the Galle test, was declared "Man of the Match". The third test match will be played at Colombo.

Galle Test: India bowls out for 269, Sri Lanka needs 307 to win

India resumed their second innings at 200/4 and could manage only 69 runs this morning. The Indian team bowled out for 269, setting a victory target of 307 for Sri Lanka. For Sri Lanka, Mendis took 4 wickets, while Murali bagged 3 wickets. It was Mendis' first 10-wicket haul in a test match. He had taken 6 wickets in the first innings.

Since the Galle wicket is slowing down with massive turn, it would not be easy for the Sri Lankan batsmen to win by scoring in excess of 307. History favours India, as no team has scored more than 250 in the fourth innings to win the match here. The average fourth innings total at Galle remains 160. Only a miracle can help Sri Lanka win the test match here. There is no doubt that India has an upper hand in this test.

According to latest reports, Sri Lanka lost three quick wickets with only 10 runs on board. Ishant Sharma dealt a lethal blow to Sri Lanka by claiming two wickets, while Zaheer bagged one wicket. Sri Lanka were 16/3 when reports last came in.

Team India raise questions on Umpires' Referral System

The newly introduced Umpires' Referral System or "Review" has gone into controversy, as Team India raised strong questions on its effectiveness. Ironically, India, which became the first country to use the review system, has been the worst sufferer with too many bad decision went against them.

Rahul Dravid was unlucky to given out through referral system in the both innings of the second test at Galle. In the second innings, the TV Umpire ruled him out after 3 minutes 56 seconds, even though there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that he was out. Team India has raised objections on the time taken by the TV umpire to take a decision and urged the match referee to fix a time limit for the review.

Galle Test: Twists and Turns continue, Match evenly poised

Twists and turns continued for the third consecutive day in Galle Test, as nobody looked set to win the match, although India still holds an edge. In reply to India's first innings total of 329, Sri Lanka bowled out for 292. Jayawardene was the top scorer with 86. For India, Harbhajan took 6 wickets, while Kumble took 3.

Sehwag and Gambhir yet again gave a solid start to India in the second innings. Both openers added 90 runs for the first wicket. Sehwag fell for 50, while Gambhir made 74. India were 200/2 towards the end of the play. However, Sri Lankan bowlers struck at the death, by removing well set batsmen Tendulkar (31) and Dravid (44). India were 200/4 at stumps with Laxman and Ganguly batting without opening their accounts.

India now have 237 runs lead over Sri Lanka with 6 wickets remaining. If they manage to add 100 more runs tomorrow, then it will be tough for Sri Lanka to make a come back on this turning and wearing track. However, if they bowl out remaining Indian batsmen cheaply, they will still have a good chance.

Harbhajan strikes, Galle Test evenly poised

India's ace spinner Harbhajan Singh brought India back into the game at Galle Test, with his triple strike after tea time. In reply to India's first innings total of 329, Sri Lanka finished the day on 215/5. Malinda Warnapura scored 66, while Sangakkara made 68. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 46. Harbhajan took 4 wickets, while Zaheer took 1 wicket.

The Galle test is now evenly poised with India seeking to claim the remaining 5 Lankan wickets as soon as possible and put the pressure back on the Lankans. Sri Lanka would try to surpass India's first innings total and expose the Indian batsmen to Murali and Mendis' spin attack.

Former Test Cricketer Ashok Mankad passes away

Former Test cricketer Ashok Mankad, died in his sleep at his Worli residence in Mumbai. He was 61. Mankad played 22 Tests and scored 991 runs on an average of 25.41. His career best score was 97 against Australia. Ashok Mankad played his last test match at Sydney on 1978.

Ashok Mankad was survived by his wife and two sons. His wife Nirupama was a national tennis champion. Their son Harsh Mankad is a member of current Indian Tennis team. Ashok Mankad was the son of legendary cricketer Vinoo Mankad.

Sehwag scores Double Century, but Mendis triggers Indian Collapse

Virender Sehwag scored yet another double century in test cricket, but India failed to capitalize on his great performance. Ajantha Mendis struck again with his maiden 5-wicket haul. Mendis took 6 wickets, as India bowled out for 329. Sehwag remained unbeaten on 201.

It was Sehwag's 5th double century in test cricket - most by any Indian batsman. Laxman made 30. Muralitharan and Vaas took 2 wickets each. It would be interesting to see how the Sri Lankan batsmen negotiate Indian spinners on a slow and turning wicket.