Indian Cricket Team Updates

Images: India v Sri Lanka, tri-series final, Port-of-Spain, July 11, 2013 RELATED LINKS:  India vs Srilanka – Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Report India vs Sri Lanka - Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Statistical Highlights I am blessed with good cricketing sense: MS Dhoni: Tri-Series 2013

He has made a habit of coming good when the chips are down and Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels his excellent finishing skills have a lot to do with the good cricketing sense he is "blessed" with.  Dhoni's 52-ball 45 proved to be decisive as India lifted the ODI tri-nation series trophy after beating Sri Lanka by one wicket in a thrilling final. ( Also Read:   India vs Srilanka – Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Report ) "I think I am blessed with a bit of good cricketing sense. I knew I could get 15 runs off the last over, I'm happy that it worked," said the beaming captain, who returned to the team after recuperating from the hamstring injury which kept him out for most part of the series. (Also Read:  India vs Sri Lanka - Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Statistical Highlights ) Dhoni said he preferred to use a heavy bat in the final over of the title clash against Sri Lanka as it was "perfect for slogging".  (Also See:  Images: India...

India have won three successive ODI series/competitions - 3-2 vs England in India 2012-13, ICC Champions Trophy 2013 and the West Indies Tri Nation series 2013. # India, with their thrilling one-wicket win, have recorded their fourth triumph in nine three-team competitions vs Sri Lanka in ODIs. (Also Read:   India vs Srilanka – Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Report ) # India have won three ODIs by one-wicket margin - their first two being vs New Zealand at Auckland on January 11, 2003 and vs West Indies at Cuttack on November 29, 2011. ( Also Read:  I am blessed with good cricketing sense: MS Dhoni ) # Mahendra Singh Dhoni enjoys superb captaincy record - 83 wins, 48 losses, three tied and eight no-result games out of 142 contested - winning % 63.05. His success rate is the highest amongst the Indian captains (minimum ten games as captain). (Also See:  Images: India vs Sri Lanka - Final, Tri-Series 2013 ) # In Tournament finals, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is avera...

Returning to play in the Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 final against Sri Lanka, MS Dhoni led India to the title with a trademark six by attaining the 202-run target. Despite losing partners at regular intervals, the India captain held up one end and struck two sixes and a boundary in the last over to take India to a one-wicket win at the Queen’s Park Oval in a close encounter.    (Also Read:  India vs Sri Lanka - Final, Tri-Series 2013 - Statistical Highlights ) After asking SL to bat first, Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed both openers, but Kumar Sangakkara (71) and Lahiru Thirimanne (46) carefully rebuilt the innings to set SL on course for a competitive total. However, while attempting to accelerate the run-rate, Thirimanne fell to Ishant Sharma. With a foot in the door after Sangakkara’s dismissal, the Indians forced their way to warp up the SL innings for 201. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja struck at regular intervals, and bagged two and four wicke...

India and Sri Lanka meet yet again, this time in the final of the Tri-Nation Series at Queen's Park Oval on Thursday, amid increasing speculation that Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be back to the lead the World Cup and Champions Trophy holders. (Also Read:  Preview: India vs Sri Lanka - Final - Tri-Series 2013 ) Dhoni sustained a right hamstring strain while batting against the West Indies in his team's first match of the tournament on June 30 at Sabina Park in Kingston and an announcement was made the following day that he was ruled out of the rest of the competition with uncapped batsman Ambati Rayudu being flown in as his replacement. However India's most successful captain ever has remained with the squad, and while there has as yet been no official word from the touring party, his presence on the field in pre-match warm-ups and in full team uniform during and after the final preliminary fixture against the Sri Lankans on Tuesday increase the likelihood that h...

What Final of the Celkon Mobile Cup, between India and Sri Lanka Where The Queen’s Park, Port of Spain, Trinidad When Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Teams India They suffered defeats in their first two matches, lost their captain MS Dhoni due to injury for the rest of the series and then faced a must-win situation to make the final. Since then, Virat Kohli and his young turks have shown tremendous character and skill to overcome all odds and book a place in the final of the tri-nation series. (Also Read:  MS Dhoni may be back for final against Sri Lanka: Tri-Series 201 3 ) The final will mark the 49th India-Sri Lanka cricketing contest since 2009. A superior ODI record against their familiar foes will augment India’s confidence. They might also receive another massive boost if, as hinted by Virat, MS Dhoni takes field. The Indian captain was earlier ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury. Sri Lanka The team from the Emerald Iles has blown hot and c...

India v Sri Lanka, West Indies Tri-series, Port-of-Spain, July 9, 2013 RELATED LINKS: Sri Lanka vs India : Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 - Report Sri Lanka vs India : Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 - Statistical Highlights

Statistical Highlights from the match between India and Sri Lanka: # India's convincing 81-run triumph is their first in three matches against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean in ODIs. They had lost the first two games to them - one each at Kingston (by 161 runs on July 2, 2013) and Port of Spain (by 69 runs on March 23, 2007). (Also Read:  Sri Lanka vs India : Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 - Report ) # For the first time, India have won four successive ODIs at Port of Spain - by 4 wickets vs West Indies on June 6, 2011; by 7 wickets vs West Indies on June 8, 2011; by 102 runs vs West Indies on July 5, 2013 and by 81 runs vs Sri Lanka on July 9, 2013. (Also See:  Images: Sri Lanka vs India: Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 ) # India have won seven and lost nine out of 16 played at Port of Spain in ODIs. # India have won 77 and lost 53 out of 142 played against Sri Lanka in ODIs - winning % 59.16 (Tied 1 and NR 11). # Sri Lanka (96) have equalled their lowest total against I...

Sri Lanka collapsed to 96 all out on Tuesday (July 9) as India came from behind in the Celkon Mobile Tri-Nations Series to qualify for the final. India needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 167 to reach the final, which will take place on Thursday, in a rain-curtailed match and Bhuvneshwar Kumar broke the back of the Sri Lankan top order to allow India to sail on. In the process, India picked up a bonus point as well and finished on top of the points table, which looked highly unlikely after its twin defeats in Jamaica earlier in the tournament.  (Also Read:  Sri Lanka vs India : Celkon Mobile Cup 2013 - Statistical Highlights ) India’s innings was called to a close at 119 for 3 in 29 overs and Sri Lanka was set a revised target of 178 in 26 overs (Duckworth-Lewis method) for an outright win. India’s hopes rested on taking early Sri Lankan wickets and Bhuvneshwar delivered as he had Upul Tharanga in all sorts of trouble before finally getting him to edge to Suresh Rain...

What Match 6 of the Celkon Mobile Cup, featuring India vs Sri Lanka When Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Where Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad The Teams India For Team India, the last league match of the ongoing tri-series is a virtual semi-final as only a win would see them qualify for the finals on July 11. For a total less than 321, a win off the last ball will ensure that India make it to the final as it will take their net run-rate above that of West Indies (-0.383) – India’s NRR currently is -0.524. And if the Indians end up chasing a 321-plus total, they will need to get home with a few balls to spare – depending on the target they are chasing. The prevalence of rain in Trinidad over the last few days could present Virat Kohli and his young team an added challenge. As for the team combination, expect India to field more or less the same XI that defeated West Indies in the previous match. Sri Lanka A win in the rain-marred game again...

Port of Spain: Laid low by injury he might be, but Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's birthday celebrations turned out to be quite lively with the West Indian cricketers also joining the party here. Dhoni, who turned 32 on Sunday, has stayed with the Indian team here despite being out of the ongoing ODI tri-series due to a hamstring injury. After Sunday's celebrations, India's most successful skipper took to twitter to give a glimpse of the party this morning. "Thanks everyone specially Bravo for the lovely evening and the soft cake all over my face and hair,"  Dhoni posted along with a picture of his face smeared with cake.  "All west Indian players and friends present were like no no u don't celebrate like tht, I said its just the beginning," the Jharkhand-lad wrote. The photograph of the cake, which had MSD 7 inscribed on it, was posted by Dhoni along with another tweet. "Thts the cake.luks gr...