India's come back to international cricket showed they were oxidized with the bat but exactly right with the ball. With a superficial win, they knocked New Zealand out of the Compaq Cup, winning by six wickets at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium.
Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh made Kiwis second straight collapse in the Cup. Taking three wickets each, they bowled men in black for 155. The chase seemed easy - but for the small matter of the last 11 games at the venue won by the side batting first.
Sachin Tendulkar's 46 alleviate any nerves there might have been, before MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina come back in the middle order breakdown to take India to a win in the 41st over.
It puts India in Monday's final against Sri Lanka, who by virtue of their win over the Kiwis, had qualified earlier.
Among the talking points is Rahul Dravid's abrasive return in the blue jersey. Coming in at one-down after Dinesh Karthik's fall to Kyle Mills, Dravid was given a sweltering time by Shane Bond.
His 14 runs from 45 were in sharp contrast to Tendulkar, who fire away at a run-a-ball from the other end. They added 60 in 15 overs to effectively seal the game since New Zealand's best chance was in blowing away the Indian top order.
Bond tried his spirit out. He even managed to attract Dravid into a miscue that lobbed over the slip. But it wasn't going to be his day.
Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh made Kiwis second straight collapse in the Cup. Taking three wickets each, they bowled men in black for 155. The chase seemed easy - but for the small matter of the last 11 games at the venue won by the side batting first.
Sachin Tendulkar's 46 alleviate any nerves there might have been, before MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina come back in the middle order breakdown to take India to a win in the 41st over.
It puts India in Monday's final against Sri Lanka, who by virtue of their win over the Kiwis, had qualified earlier.
Among the talking points is Rahul Dravid's abrasive return in the blue jersey. Coming in at one-down after Dinesh Karthik's fall to Kyle Mills, Dravid was given a sweltering time by Shane Bond.
His 14 runs from 45 were in sharp contrast to Tendulkar, who fire away at a run-a-ball from the other end. They added 60 in 15 overs to effectively seal the game since New Zealand's best chance was in blowing away the Indian top order.
Bond tried his spirit out. He even managed to attract Dravid into a miscue that lobbed over the slip. But it wasn't going to be his day.
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