Sehwag wins it for India and then the drama starts

The preceding week in cricket news saw one of the more controversial ODIs in recent times at Dambulla. It was an India-Sri Lanka game at the Micromax tri-series; the third match of the series.

India had been crushed and hung to dry in their first game by New Zealand, whereas Sri Lanka had over-powered New Zealand in the second. A loss for India would almost have ended their hopes of making it to the finals even before the last two league games, and with Yuvraj Singh ruled out of the side due to fever, India continued to struggle with their fitness concerns.

As it turned out, Sri Lanka won the toss – another huge advantage on the Dambulla track – and decided to bat first. Fortunately for the Indians, a good bowling performance by the Indian bowling department – pace and spin alike – allowed the tourists to restrict the Lankans to a manageable 170. At one stage, it looked highly unlikely that the Lankans would even get there, but Suraj Randiv batted well to score a 40 and propel the side to a score that they could think of defending.

In reply, India lost three wickets for 33, before Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina bailed them out of trouble. Raina was looking good to get India home before pulling the ball to the square-leg fielder, but MS Dhoni batted in company of the swashbuckling Virender Sehwag to take the side home.

The drama of the game was off the last over, when Sehwag needed a single for a win and Randiv sent down a no-ball to deny them the victory. The media was enraged at the under-handed tactics, and despite the apologies from Randiv, the Sri Lankan board have banned him for a game. T Dilshan was heard to be exhorting him to bowl that no-ball was also fined his entire match fee, but Sri Lankan captain, Kumar Sangakkara, while apologising for what had happened, also criticised BCCI and Sehwag for fanning a dead issue.

One has clearly not heard the last of it!

Tags: Dambulla, India, Kumar Sangakkara, Micromax tri-series, MS Dhoni, New Zealand, ODI, Sri Lanka, Suraj Randiv, Suresh Raina, T Dilshan, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh