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INDIA ACHIEVES No.1 SPOT IN ICC RANKINGS

India have become the number one team in ICC Test rankings after winning the third and final Test against Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs.

After conceding a huge 333-run first innings lead, Srilankans were struggling at 274 for six at close on the penultimate day. Needing just four wickets to record an emphatic victory, the Indians took just 40 minutes to clean off the visiting team’s tail to record their second consecutive innings victory. 

 The Sri Lankan captain Sangakkara reached his 21st Test century while trying to save the innings but lost partners at regular intervals.

 Zaheer sent back Mahela Jayawardene (12) and Thilan Samaraweera (0) in the space of 15 balls for one run. Then Ojha turned a ball towards all rounder Angelo Mathews’ bat and India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni accepted the edge.

Sreesanth and Zaheer delivered the blows in the very first overs of their new spells in the post-lunch period to send back Paranavitana and former Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene respectively. Zaheer sent back Mahela when he fiddled at a ball that moved away and edged  for Dhoni to take an easy catch.

India trounced Sri Lanka to win the third Test at Brabourne Stadium to go up 2-0 in the 3-match series. They have also become the number 1 Test team for the first time in the history of cricket, overtaking South Africa in ICC rankings.

 Resuming at 274 for six on Sunday, the Sri Lankans lost  Sangakkara (137) in the very first over and were bundled out for 309 with Zaheer Khan being the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 5-72.

The Sunday crowd at the Brabourne Stadium, hosting a Test match after a gap of 36 years, witnessed a historic moment as M. S. Dhoni and his men crowned themselves the number one team. The crowd went ecstatic as Muttiah Muralitharan edged a delivery from Harbhajan to Dhoni to bring down the curtains on the Lankan innings. Gary Kirsten greeted the team as they returned to the pavilion.

The Awards

•  Solid Partnership award            –       Virendra Sehwag and Rahul Dravid 237 runs.
•  Highest Wicket taker in Tests  –      Mutthaiah Murlitharan
•  Man of the Match                           –        Virendra Sehwag
•  Man of the Series                            –        Virendra Sehwag

While accepting the winners trophy, Captain M.S.Dhoni said that hard work by all team members has brought us to the No. 1 Test ranking spot. He further added that the real task was now to work hard together to maintain the No.1 spot.

Ravi Matah

Tags: Brabourne Stadium, india, India No. 1 Ranking, Man of the match, Man of the Series, Sri Lanka, Test Cricket, Virendra Sehwag

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 6th, 2009 at 11:42 am and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.