Filed under: Cricket, World Cup, ODIs, India Cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka 274-6 (Mahela Jayawardene 103 not out, Kumar Sangakkara 48, Zaheer Khan 2-60, Yuvraj Singh 2-49) India 277-4 (Gautam Gambhir 97, Mahendra Dhoni 91 not out). India won by six wickets.Mahendra Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir upstaged master batsman Sachin Tendulkar on what is likely to be his last World Cup appearance by guiding India to the trophy for only the second time after a dramatic final against co-hosts Sri Lanka.
Tendulkar had been hoping to bow out of the tournament with his 100th international hundred on his home ground of Mumbai, but he was out for only 18 and so it was left to Gambhir and Dhoni to steer India home to their target of 275 with a crucial century stand for the fourth wicket.
Gambhir fell three short of his ton, but the India captain stayed until the end and appropriately hit the winning runs with a mighty six into the crowd - his second of the final - with 10 balls to spare to finish on 91 not out and end India's 28-year wait for the trophy.
Earlier, Mahela Jayawardene compiled an elegant 103 not out off just 88 balls to enable Sri Lanka to set India a testing target of 274-6, but with Muttiah Muralitharan unable to summon a last ounce of magic in his finale, India were able to pass that total.
The match had begun in controversial fashion when the toss had to be retaken, but Sri Lanka, who won it, put that behind them to make a solid start.
Jaywardene came in at 60-2 after Upul Tharanga had been superbly caught by Virender Sehwag in the slips off Zaheer Khan for two and Tillakaratne Dilshan had been bowled for 33 by Harbhajan Singh.
Scoreboard
He added 62 for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara, the pair slowly upping the tempo before the Sri Lanka skipper was caught behind by Dhoni for 48 off Yuvraj Singh with the score on 122.
Thilan Samaraweera then helped Jayawardene in a stand of 57 for the fourth wicket until he was lbw to Yuvraj for 21 and Chamara Kapugedera followed just three runs later at 182 when he was caught by Suresh Raina off Khan for a single.
However, that was the signal for an astonishing onslaught from the Sri Lankan batsmen as they hammered 91 off the last 10 overs.
Nuwan Kulasekara set the example with 32 off 30 balls, including the first six off the innings in the 48th over, before being run out by Dhoni.
But that only let in Thisara Perera, who smashed 22 off just nine balls, including a massive six off the last ball from Khan.
India needed a strong start from Sehwag and Tendulkar, but they were rocked back on their heels by Lasith Malinga, who trapped Sehwag lbw off the second ball of the innings and then had Tendulkar caught behind for 18 by the diving Sangakkara.
It should have been 72-3 in the 14th over, but the diving Kulasakera dropped Gambhir at long off when he was on 33 off Suraj Randiv's third ball.
Sri Lanka had to wait a further seven overs before they captured India's third wicket, Dilshan producing a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling to remove Virat Kohli for 35 with the score on 114.
Dhoni then joined Gambhir and they compiled the decisive century partnership, despite Dhoni requiring treatment to his right shoulder in the 38th over and Gambhir needing to change his bat an over later after a chunk flew off it when playing a shot off Malinga.
Just when Gambhir looked set for his century, though, the left-hander spoilt his good work by giving Perera the charge and having his middle stump flattened after making 97. But Dhoni remained to steer India home.
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