Just after the tour of Pakistan is over in Sri Lanka, New Zealand team will arrive in Sri Lanka for their 40 days tour. New Zealand team will play two matches test series with two twenty20 Internationals on their tour to Sri Lanka and tri-series involving India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
New Zealand team will begin their tour with two three day practice game before playing first test match from 18th August to 22nd August at P Sara Oval, Colombo. The 2nd test match of the series will be played from 26th of August to 30th of August at SSC, Colombo.
After test match series New Zealand team will shift their gear for twenty20 Internationals and then start their tri-series campaign with the game against host Sri Lanka on 8th of September. All the game of tri-series will be played at R.Premdasa Stadium, Colombo.
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Fixtures (All timings are mentioned in GMT+05:30)
After almost two years stylish right handed Rahul Dravid was included in list of 30 probable announce by Indian selectors for ICC Champions Trophy 2009. Rahul Dravid who last played ODI in October 2007 against Australia in Nagpur got selected by the Indian selectors in the 30 player squad.
Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag, Suresh Raina and Zaheer Khan who missed the recently concluded ODI series in Caribbean due to injuries also included in the squad. The biggest surprise inclusion was of Rahul Dravid who averages 39.49 scoring more than 10,000 runs in 333 games.
Many experts believe that lack of ability to handle the short pitch stuff by the young Indian players prompted Indian selectors to go with experienced Rahul Dravid. Suresh Raiana, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan all struggled to handle the short-pitch deliveries in twenty20 world championship as well as in recently concluded ODI series against West Indies.
Irfan Pathan and S.Sreesanth were the two players who missed out to make into the 30 probable squads.
India List of 30 Probables for Champions Trophy 2009: MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Nayar, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Munaf Patel, R Ashwin, M Vijay, Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Dhawal Kulkarni, S Badrinath, Ashish Nehra, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Singh, Wriddhiman Saha, Pankaj Singh.
Indian team will eye their second ODI triumph against West Indies in Caribbean when they take on West Indies in the 4th ODI at Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia. So far M.S.Dhoni and his men have manage to win four comfortable series victories after the defeat in the Asia Cup Final. India will look to continue their winning momentum going as some important series is coming up (Triangular Series in Sri Lanka and Champions Trophy).
They have gone on tour without some of their prime players (Sachin, Sehwag, Raian and Zaheer Khan) but a win here will once again prove that this Indian side under the captaincy of M.S.Dhoni is far better side when it comes to one day international and that is why they ranked number three in ICC ranking just behind Australia and South Africa.
India have great chance of lifting the cup by knowing the facts that they now can’t loose the series. India won the rain-affected third ODI by six wickets on Friday at the same venue to take an insurmountable 2-1 lead in the series.
On the other hand West Indies never won an ODI series against major teams from more than a year. And to salvage this series they need some good performance from players like Chris Gayle, Chanderpaul, R.Srwan and J.Taylor.
As we have seen during third ODI, West Indies struggled in the middle overs once their opening bowlers failed to provide early breakthrough. So they hope this time their bowlers will provide early breakthrough to put some amount of pressure on hard hitting Indian middle orders.
India has few worries in their bowling department apart from Harbhajan and Nehra no bowlers looks in total control of the game. Specially R.P.Singh and Ishant Sharma both performed below par and got lot of hammering from West Indian batsmen.
Watch out for
M.S.Dhoni: He is in prime form in the ODI series and one another good inning from him will help his team to win the 2nd ODI Series in the Caribbean. The score of 42, 95 and unbeaten 46 runs really helped Dhoni to comeback in some kind of form. He is still not at his best but it will be no better day than today to show his power hitting ability.
Chris Gayle: West Indian captain Chris Gayle looks in superb form in previous three one day internationals. In all three ODI’s he has given his team a perfect starts with quick fire runs at top of the order. He has not played any big inning in the series but he would suddenly eye something big at St Lucia in do-or-die game.
Pitch & Condition
The pitch at Beausejour Stadium is very well for batting as we have seen in the rain truncated game during third ODI’s. Team winning the toss is likely to field first since rain is expected to spoil today’s game also.
Teams
Left arm pacer R.P.Singh so far has not done any reasonable performance in the previous three ODI’s so he is likely to be given rest that means Praveen Kumar will get another chance on this tour.
West Indies despite of loss in the third ODI is likely to play with same XI.
Likely Playing XI for both Teams (Match is Schedule to begin at 19:00 PMIndia Time)
India Squad: Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), Yuvraj Singh, S Badrinath, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Nayar, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashish Nehra.
West Indies Squad: Chris Gayle (Captain), Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (WK), Jerome Taylor, Ravi Rampaul, Suleiman Benn, Ravi Rampaul.
Stats
If India manages to win today’s ODI then it will be their fifth consecutive series win on trot.
India have won just one ODI series in Caribbean under the captaincy of S.Ganuly in 2002.
M.S.Dhoni unbeaten knock of 46 runs in previous match helped him to get past the average of 50 plus.
M.S.Dhoni became only the second batsman (batsmen who have scored more than 4000 runs) to average more than 50 in ODI after Australia M.Beven who had made 6912 runs with an average of 53.58 in 232 matches.
During the 3rd ODI, M.S.Dhoni involved in three dismissals behind the stumps and also scored 40 plus runs. This is record for any wicketkeeper batsmen in history of ODI cricket.
M.S.Dhoni scored unbeaten 46 runs during 3rd ODI at St Lucia that helped him to get pass the average of 50. So far he has scored 4567 runs in his ODI career including four centuries and thirty one fifty’s. He also holds the record of highest score in an ODI by any wicketkeeper batsmen (183 not out against Sri Lanka).
Dhoni was adjudged player of the match for 11th time in his career.
Ramnaresh Sarwan (62 runs of 59 balls) during 3rd ODI was his 33rd ODI half-century and 9th against Indians. He also completed his 1000 runs against India.
India recorded 23rd win against West Indies after beating West Indies by 6 wickets in third one day international.
After six wickets win over West Indies, India registered their 33rd win under the captaincy of M.S.Dhoni out of 54 ODI’s played under him. (17 lost and 4 ended with no result).
Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir put on 84 runs partnership for the first wicket during 3rd ODI at St Luciawhich is India's best opening stand against West Indies in the Caribbean in 12 years.
Harbhajan Singh 2/35 against West Indies during 3rd ODI was his best bowling figure in West Indies. His previous best was 2/55 at Port of Spain in 2002.
Ashish Nehra registered his best bowling figure in West Indies after returing with figure of 3/21 during third ODI. His previous best was 3 for 49 at Kingston in the first ODI of the series.
Indian team kept their nerve on a frustrating rainy day at St. Lucia to snatch a last over thriller over West Indies by six wickets to take an unbeatable lead of 2-1. Needing 16 of the last two overs, India kept their nerves but manage just 5 runs of D.Bravo overs and that left India for scoring 11 runs in the last over to snatch a victory over West Indies.
M.S.Dhoni kept his nerve in the last over and hit a much needed huge six of J.Taylor to reduced the India target from needing 10 of last five balls to 4 runs of last four balls and then India achieved the last four runs with one ball to spare in the innings.
At one stage India threatened to lose their way in the chase after a solid start provided by Dinesh Karthik (47 runs of 43 balls) and Gautam Gambhir (44 runs of 38 balls) before Dhoni hauled them past the line. The rain-breaks initially readjusted India target to 195 in 27 overs before a further rain reduced it to needing 159 in 22 overs.
When Dinesh Karthik got out India needed 111 runs of 89 balls with nine wickets in hand but India kept loosing wickets at regular Interval and that helped West Indies to raise the required run rate pass 9 runs per over. However in the end it was captain cool who guided his team home comfortably.
Earlier after winning the toss India captain put West Indies into bat but because of continuous rain play started almost two hours late and the game was reduce to 41 overs per side before further interruption reduced it to 27 overs per side.
West Indies after brisk start by Captain Chris Gayle (27 runs of 14 balls) lose their way in the middle but thanks to R.Srawan (62 runs of 59 balls) brisk half-century and late hitting by Dinesh Ramdin (14 runs of 6 balls), new comer D.Bravo (21 runs of 15 balls) West Indies posted commanding total of 186/7 in 27 overs and set India target of 195 in their 27 overs (D/L method).
M.S.Dhoni was declared Player of the Match for his sensible unbeaten knock of 46 runs of just 34 balls.
Match Summary (India won by 6 Wickets D/L Method)
West Indies– 186/7 in 27 Overs
R.Srawan- 62C.Gayle– 27
Ashish Nehra– 5-1-21-3Harbhajan Singh- 5-0-35-2
India – 159/4 in 21.5 Overs (D/L Method Revised Target)
After a terrific start to the series then have fallen from sky to the earth due to their batting failure in the second ODI at Kingston and there dream of winning the ODI series in West Indies can be shattered if they loose third ODI against West Indies at St Lucia.
Indian team will be looking to get edge closer to rare series victory in West Indies, on the other hand West Indies after an emphatic win in 2nd one day international is confidant of taking 2-1 lead in four math ODI series.
The area of concern for the Indians is getting more and more. In the first ODI West Indies batsmen able to get closer to the target of 340 runs due to some poor bowling by the Indian bowlers while in second ODI there batsmen failed to read the pitch and at one stage they were in danger of getting bowled out for less than three figure marks but thanks to M.S.Dhoni and R.P.Singh partnership of 101 runs for the 9th wicket that saved some pride for the Indians otherwise it could have been more embarrassing defeats for the visitor.
In both matches, India have looked a below-par version of the side that before coming to the Caribbean had lost only three of their previous 18 matches, and had climbed to No.3 in the ODI world rankings.
Indian captain despite of making valiant 95 runs for his team doesn’t look comfortable at the crease that he is known for. He has tried many deliveries of Suleman Benn to hit put of the park but connected only once.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle and many of his teammates is hopeful of putting good show against India at St Lucia to take unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four match series. Chris Gayle is hoping for another good show from his bowlers to restrict the famed Indian batting lineup to gettable total.
Watch out for
Ravi Rampaul: Who have thought that the guy who is making comeback in the team will ran through famed Indian top order in no time. But he did exceptional job for his team and with such kind of performance his confidence is sky high at the moment. But it will be interesting to see how he tackles the pressure situation.
Gambhir and Rohit Sharma: Two consecutive failures in two innings for both man is not they use for. So we can expect something special from these two young Indian lads during 3rdSt Lucia. Another failure at No.3 for Rohit Sharma is something he can not afford after scores of 4 and 0 in the series so far. ODI at
Pitch & Condition
The pitch at Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia will be another good wicket for batting. But as we have seen in the series so far team batting first need to be more cautious in the first hour or so to put up a good total. All in all it will be another batting paradise with some assistant for the spinner in the later part of the inning.
Teams
Indian team management is thinking of giving all-rounder Abhishek Nayar a chance in place of Ravider Jadeja after two consecutive poor show with bat. He was out first ball in the first game, playing away from his body and edging to the keeper, and managed just 7 in the second with his team in trouble.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle have no other reason to change the winning combination and he is likely to go with same XI.
Likely Playing XI for both Teams (Match is Schedule to begin at 19:00 PMIndia Time)
India Squad: Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), Yuvraj Singh, S Badrinath, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Nayar, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Ashish Nehra.
West Indies Squad: Chris Gayle (Captain), Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (WK), Jerome Taylor, Ravi Rampaul, Suleiman Benn, Ravi Rampaul.
Stats
The average score while batting first on this venue is 243 runs. Team batting second have won on seven occasions and lost at nine. Highest score at this venue is 363 while lowest is 146 runs.
West Indies have played nine ODI at Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia, winning five and losing four. However India have never played any ODI at this venue.
R.P.Singh and M.S.Dhoni 9th wicket stand in the last game was record partnership against West Indies while fourth highest partnership in the history of cricket.
