ASIA CUP 2010: Maharoof’s sensational hat-trick restricts India to 209
Asian giants Sri Lanka and India are up against each other in the last game of preliminary round of the 10th Asia Cup at the Rangiri International Stadium in Sri Lanka. In an inconsequential game, both teams are testing each other’s nerves and the winning side will have a psychological edge on the opponent in Thursday’s final.
Sri Lankan captain Sangakkara, after winning the toss, decided to go with the ball first. The hosts came into the match after having won their previous victories against Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sangakara’s decision of batting under lights in the sixth match would give them an idea of the conditions that they can put up with if they lose the toss in the final game.
The Lankan Lions came up with four changes in their squad. Maharoof, Randiv, Kandamby, and Herath have been given a chance in the last game of the qualifying round, while Samaraweera, Murali, Nuwan Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga have been allowed to rest for the crucial final game of Thursday.
India also made three changes in its team, with the injured Sehwag, Ashish Nehra while off spinner Harbhajan missed out. Ashok Dinda, Dinesh Karthik and Pragyan Ojha have been given a chance to prove their mettle against the top international side. Indian Skipper MS Dhoni was quite happy for batting first after batting under lights in the last two games.
Farveez Maharoof's brilliant five wickets - including a magnificent hat-trick - helped the hosts restrict Dhoni’s side to 209 today.
Indian openers Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik, though dealt mainly in singles and doubles and smashed fours on lose deliveries, gave a decent start to their team but three wickets for just 19 runs mired their momentum which was thought to be a respectable start for the men in blue. Karthik brought the 50 up for his team, smashing consecutive boundaries to Maharoof in the 11th over. Gambhir, in the next over, was caught to Angelo Mathews. Suraj Randiv at short midwicket caught the catch after diving across to his right, taking a brilliant catch of Gambhir.
Virat Kohli could add just 10 runs to the scorecard and was smacked by Maharoof in the 15th over.
Karthik and Suresh Raina failed to convert their starts into big partnerships and fell in consecutive overs, leaving behind skipper MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to stabilize the team score. The duo performed responsibly and in the 31st over brought the 150 up for the Indian side.
In the 37th over, Sharma chalked his half-century. MS Dhoni walked to the pitch but lost his wicket when he was trying to clinch a quick single. Kapugedera hit the wickets and Dhoni had to go back to the pavilion.
It would not be wrong to say that it was Maharoof’s day. He broke the spine of the Indian batting line with a hat-trick. The spinner did not allow R Jadeja, P Kumar and Zaheer Khan to open their accounts. The fifth victim of paceman was Ashok Dinda. India’s four wickets fell at 189 leaving India in dire straits. It was Maharoof’s first ODI hat-trick while 26th in the history of One Day international cricket.
Rohit Sharma’s fighting innings of 69 runs could not help the visitors to set a challenging total for Sri Lanka. India’s entire team was bowled out with more than seven overs remaining in the innings. Sri Lanka has started the chase in style and is expected to win the match.
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