India world champion 2011 Dhoni & Gambhire outstading in finale

India 277 for 4 (Gambhir 97, Dhoni 91*) beat Sri Lanka 274 for 6 (Jayawardene 103*, Sangakkara 48) by six wickets 

Twenty-eight years on from the match that transformed the history of world cricket, India recaptured the crown that Kapil Dev and his men first lifted at Lord's in 1983, and this time they did in their very own back yard. An iron-willed 97 from Gautam Gambhir was matched for intensity by the finest captain's innings since Ricky Ponting at Johannesburg eight years ago, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni trumped a poetic century from Mahela Jayawardene to pull off the highest run-chase ever achieved in a World Cup final.

Against a triumphant backdrop at the Wankhede Stadium, victory was sealed by six wickets with 10 balls to spare, as Dhoni - who had promoted himself to No. 5 to heap extra lashings of responsibility onto his own shoulders - rushed through the gears as the victory target drew nearer. With 15 required from 17 balls, he flicked Sri Lanka's only true threat, Lasith Malinga, through midwicket for consecutive boundaries, before smoking Nuwan Kulasekara over long-on to spark the most delirious scenes of celebration ever seen on the subcontinent.

However, the final margin did little justice to the tussle that had preceded it. Even the toss ended up being disputed, as Kumar Sangakkara's initial call was drowned out by the crowd, but it was the ebb and flow of Zaheer Khan's day that epitomised the fluctuations of a compelling contest. Zaheer opened his account with three consecutive maidens and the scalp of Upul Tharanga in a peerless spell of 5-3-6-1, only to be clobbered for 17 and 18 runs in his ninth and tenth overs respectively, as Sri Lanka monstered 63 runs in the batting Powerplay to post an imposing 274 for 6.

And India's day got much worse before the team's fortunes began to inch upwards. Virender Sehwag had hit a boundary from the first ball of six of India's previous eight innings in the tournament, but this time Malinga's slingers dealt him a second-ball duck, as he skidded a full delivery into his back pad. And then Sachin Tendulkar, for whom the script had seemingly been written, was drawn into a loose drive by a fast Malinga outswinger, having set the stadium on standby for instant history with 18 sumptuously accumulated runs from his first 12 deliveries.

At 31 for 2 in the seventh over, India were struggling to keep their toehold in the contest, and it was all too much for a faithless few in the crowd who turned their backs and set off for home. But Gambhir and Virat Kohli epitomise a generation that does not easily accept defeat, and their third-wicket stand of 83 laid the foundations for an epic turnaround. The prospect of a seam-friendly surface, allied to the grievous loss of Angelo Mathews to a thigh strain, had tempted Sri Lanka into four key changes to the team that had triumphed over New Zealand in Colombo, and with Muttiah Muralitharan lacking bite in the final wicketless appearance of his 19-year career, Malinga alone could not carry the day.

The hard-hitting of Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera had been instrumental in hoisting Sri Lanka's total to such heights, but in their primary role as front-line seamers they lacked menace and were all too easy to squeeze as 119 runs came from their combined allocation of 17.2 overs. The newcomer to the squad, Suraj Randiv, caused a moment of alarm with his high-kicking offspin when Gambhir, on 30, was dropped by a diving Kulasekara at long-off, but as the innings progressed, his lack of guile proved costly. The decision to omit both Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath, whose combined efforts had been so effective against England and New Zealand, is one that will haunt Sri Lanka for years to come.

But this was a victory that still had to be grasped, and India found the men who were willing to do so. The 22-year-old Kohli, who was greeted with a stern word of encouragement as he replaced the outgoing Tendulkar, showed all the mettle for the big occasion as he eased along to 35 from 49 balls before falling to an outstanding return catch by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who dived full-length across the crease to intercept a lofted drive. But it was Gambhir and Dhoni to whom the ultimate duty fell. Their 109-run stand was the highest by an Indian pairing in three World Cup final appearances, and even when Gambhir gave away the chance for an unforgettable century with a tired charge and slash at Perera, the result was no longer in doubt.

Gambhir struck nine fours in a 122-ball statement of indomitability, and both he and Dhoni required treatment for stiff backs as the sapping Mumbai heat took its toll. Dhoni at one stage looked so immobile that a precautionary retirement seemed the only logical response, but after some harsh work from the physio he resumed his stance and responded with another trademark filleting of the extra cover boundary, an area in which he scored six of his eight fours - three of which helped to blunt Murali's attacking instincts.

Four years ago at Sabina Park, Jayawardene produced a supreme century against New Zealand to carry his side to their second World Cup final, but this was an innings of even more exquisite application. He came to the crease with his side under the cosh at 60 for 2 in the 17th over, having been throttled by Zaheer's supreme new-ball spell. But he responded with a tempo that scarcely wavered from a run a ball, until with Kulasekera for company, he opened his shoulders to power through to his hundred from 83 balls.

For an occasion of this magnitude, cool heads were the order of the day, and though his final figures did not show it, no-one was cooler in the opening exchanges than Zaheer. On his watch, Sri Lanka were limited to 31 for 1 in their mandatory Powerplay, their lowest ten-over score of the tournament, and the hapless Upul Tharanga was restricted to two runs from 20 balls before snicking to Sehwag at slip. Then, when he returned in the 37th over, Zaheer deceived Chamara Kapugedera with a beautiful slower ball that was driven to short cover, on route to equalling Shahid Afridi as the tournament's leading wicket-taker.

And yet, the speed with which his figures were vandalised was astounding. Though each of Jayawardene's 13 fours was a classy stroke in its own right, none was better than the last of them, an inside-out cover-drive to one of Zaheer's trademark outswingers, as he premeditated the late movement and filleted the ring of fielders on the off-side. The outright acceleration came from the other end, where Kulasekera made 32 from 30 balls before his sacrificial run-out led to a pat of gratitude from Jayawardene as they parted. And then, by the time Perera had sealed his onslaught with a dismissive thump for six over midwicket, the decibel levels in the Wankhede had plummeted.

Sri Lanka reach final with tense win

Sri Lanka 220 for 5 (Dilshan 73, Sangakkara 54) beat New Zealand 217 (Styris 57, Mendis 3-35) by five wickets

Sri Lanka nearly did a South Africa against 'Dark horses' New Zealand, but managed to hold on to clinch a nervous 5 wicket win and head to Wankhede where they will play either India or Pakistan making it an all-Asia final. 

The Kiwis would have been on a high coming into the game, having sent back the much-fancied South African team, but playing Sri Lanka in their own den would always prove to be a tough ask. The Asian country proved why they are so strong at home romping home to a 5 wicket win. 

It was however, not all one way traffic for Sri Lanka as New Zealand looked well set to post a total in excess of 250 when Ross Taylor and Scott Styris were at the middle. The duo had put on a 70+ stand after New Zealand had lost their top 3 in a hurry. 

Taylor and Styris found the going tough initially with the spinners keeping things in check, but they ensured there were no further setbacks and for a team that bats deep it was crucial that they had wickets in hand to up the ante towards the end. From 84/3 the duo added 77 precious runs to put their team in a good position at 161/3 after 39 overs. With a power packed batting line up to follow and 2 set batsmen at the crease, New Zealand would have set themselves a minimum target of 250. That was before their horrible collapse, their target kept reducing with every wicket that fell and they were eventually bundled out for 217. Styris was their best batsman, getting to his first 50 of this WC. 

Taylor dispatched a rank long hop from Ajantha Mendis straight into the hands of Upul Tharanga. The right hander was uncharacteristically serene during his vigil at the crease and had he been playing his natural game, the ball would've disappeared out of the ground. That was the body blow for the Kiwis and it gave Sri Lanka the opening they were desperate for. 

Kane Williamson and Styris did well to take Sri Lanka close to the 200 run mark, but the youngster was outfoxed by Lasith Malinga soon after. Murali had a dream send off, getting a wicket off the last ball of his home career. The Kiwis innings had capitulated; from 192-5 they slid to 217 all out in the 49th over. They lost the last 7 wickets for a mere 56 runs and their total looked at least 30- 40 runs short against the strong Sri Lankan batting line up. 

It proved to be a competitive total nonetheless, but not enough. Sri Lanka's brittleness in the middle order was exposed by New Zealand but not before an emphatic show by the top order had laid the stage for a win. They did make it difficult for themselves with the middle order failing to back the good show by the top order, but what eventually mattered was that they will be playing in probably the biggest game of their lives at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. 

The openers have played a big part in Sri Lanka's success so far at the WC, and they provided a steady opening stand to help the team dispel any jitters early on. Upul Tharanga continued from where he'd left off against England launching the second ball of the innings for a 6. It was smooth sailing for Lanka from there, till a flying Jesse Ryder held on to a blinder of a catch to send back Tharanga. 

Sri Lanka seemed unperturbed after the opener's dismissal as Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan steadied the ship and took them closer with a good stand of over 100. The left hand- right hand combination kept the runs ticking and both soon notched up their 50s. Dilshan fell with Sri Lanka needing 58 to win and the Sri Lankan middle order, which was hardly tested in the WC so far, came up a cropper in finishing the game. Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Chamara Silva fell in the space of 25 runs to offer the Kiwis some hope. 

It was a case of too little too late however for the Black Caps as T Samaraweera and A Mathews stuck to their tasks and guided Sri Lanka into the finals. 

Sri Lanka crush England & Tharanga and Dilshan Tons easy enter in semis

Sri Lanka 231 for 0 (Dilshan 108*, Tharanga 102*) beat England 229 for 6 (Trott 86, Morgan 50) by ten wickets 

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga set an emphatic seal on Sri Lanka's place in their home semi-final against New Zealand next Tuesday, as England's chaotic World Cup campaign came to an abrupt and anticlimactic end under the floodlights at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Set a testing total of 230 at a venue where successful run-chases have been notoriously thin on the ground, Sri Lanka's openers set about proving that history is bunk as they sauntered to victory by 10 wickets and with a massive 63 balls to spare. After five months on the road for England's cricketers, and six consecutive nail-biters in the group stages of the tournament, they found they had nothing left to give as the first round of knock-out matches was concluded with an utter walloping.

Though several higher scores have been made in this tournament to date, England's total of 229 for 6 ought to have competitive in the conditions. Only eight times in 49 internationals at the venue had a team batting second chased 230 or more for victory, and the most recent occasion came back in 2004. However, Dilshan and Tharanga battled through a tricky start with a flurry of aggression, before settling back into an effortlessly accumulative tempo. For the second time in the campaign, following on from their crushing of Zimbabwe in Pallekele, both men brought up centuries in a massive and indomitable stand.

Such was Sri Lanka's dominance that the match was able to finish in comically contrived scenes, as Dilshan - who had already reached his landmark with a savage cut for four off Graeme Swann - set about shepherding his partner to his own hundred. With seven runs still needed and Tharanga on 98, Dilshan accidentally carved Swann clean through the covers, and was grimacing his apologies before the ball had crossed the rope. Dilshan responded with two of the most exaggerated forward defences he has ever played, the first to a rank long-hop that even Swann was able to smile about, and with both men rendered virtually immobile with cramp, Tharanga finished the game three balls into Chris Tremlett's subsequent over, with a flat-footed swipe through the off-side.

The statistics told a sorry tale for England. All told they managed 12 fours in the whole of their 50 overs, two of which were scored by Jonathan Trott, whose 86 from 115 balls was his fifth half-century in seven innings, as he became the first batsman to pass 400 runs in the current tournament. Eoin Morgan provided some impetus with a 55-ball 50, but the batting Powerplay once again scuppered their momentum, as they were restricted to 23 runs and two key wickets in their five overs of fielding restrictions. Sri Lanka by contrast clobbered 22 fours and three sixes in less than 40 overs. The final result was every bit as resounding as it had been when these two teams last met in a World Cup quarter-final, at Faisalabad 15 years ago, a match that was lit up by Sanath Jayasuriya's epoch-defining 82 from 44 balls.

The nature of England's campaign meant that everyone, players and spectators alike, was waiting for the inevitable twist in the narrative, a fightback of the sort that the bowlers had produced against South Africa and West Indies earlier in the tournament - two other occasions in which the openers had proven hard to dislodge. However, it simply never materialised. All the same, they started promisingly enough. Tim Bresnan found good swing in a tidy first over, while Swann spun the ball sharply after being armed with the new ball. However, Tharanga quickly decided valour was the better part of discretion, and latched onto a modicum of width to crash his first four in Bresnan's second over, before using his feet expertly to deposit Swann back over his head for six.

Tremlett, retained in the team ahead of the experienced James Anderson, looked set to justify his place in a brilliant first over in which he beat Dilshan three balls in a row, including a massive nip-backer that shaved the leg bail on its way through to Prior. But his line and length became scrambled thereafter, and whereas England had managed just four boundaries in their first 25 overs, Dilshan cashed in with two in four balls, both crashed through the off side, as Sri Lanka reached 57 for 0 at the end of the first Powerplay.

The chances that England were able to create were too marginal to be capitalised upon. Early in his innings, Dilshan survived a miscued pull off Bresnan that looped over the head of short midwicket, while Ravi Bopara came within a whisker of bowling him in his first over, only for the ball to beat everyone and fizz away for four byes. The same fate awaited a beauty of a delivery from Swann, while James Tredwell, the hero of Chennai, was tidy but unthreatening in his first three overs, before Dilshan planted his front foot to drill him into the stands at long-off. Tremlett returned to create two half-chances as the ball was drilled hard back through his fingertips, but the game was as good as over long before then.

At the innings break, the scenario seemed to be very different. England looked nervous and leaden-footed against a Sri Lankan attack loaded with four front-line spinners, including the Man of the Match Dilshan, who took the new ball and scalped Andrew Strauss after a dreadful innings of 5 from 19 balls. But they endured and briefly, while Trott and Eoin Morgan were in harness, they thrived, adding 91 in 16 overs for the fourth wicket.

However, their ambitions of a formidable 240-plus total were scuppered by the dismissal of Morgan in the first over of the Powerplay. Until he drilled Lasith Malinga at deep cover for a 55-ball 50, he had lived a charmed life, with no fewer than four clear-cut chances going his way - three dropped catches, two of them extraordinarily easy, and an lbw appeal on 29 that would have proved stone-dead on review. His luck, however, ran out at an inopportune moment for England, and when Swann missed a switch hit to fall for a first-ball duck, England proved incapable of reaching the boundary while the field was up, with just 23 runs coming in the five overs of fielding restrictions, and 56 in the last 10 all told.

Trott's performance was that of a man who knew that if he batted through the innings, the runs would materialise somehow. He scored his first boundary from his 65th delivery, and eventually fell in pursuit of his third, as he swept Muttiah Muralitharan to deep backward square with nine balls of the innings remaining. Despite inevitable criticism of the tempo of his innings, his sang froid appeared to be well suited to the situation, as he backed himself to work the ones and twos in a boundary-less start to his innings, and at the same time he drew a gutsy response from Ravi Bopara, who was far less comfortable with the tempo, but knuckled down for 31 from 56 balls.

Murali, whose legendary career has now been extended by one more game at least, finished with 2 for 54 in nine overs before limping off with an apparent recurrence of his hamstring strain. However, that tally could have been higher but for an extraordinary sequence of events in his eighth over, when Morgan was dropped twice in consecutive deliveries. He had already survived one dolly of an opportunity on 16, when Thilan Samaraweera shelled a leading edge off Ajantha Mendis at point, but Murali couldn't contain his fury when, first, Angelo Mathews at extra cover fluffed a lofted drive, before Rangana Herath dived forward at point but failed to cling on.

If those moments were evidence that Sri Lanka were feeling the pressure of the big occasion, they were fleeting at best. The insolent ease of this performance means that New Zealand will arrive in Colombo with trepidation ahead of their sixth semi-final appearance in ten World Cups. They have never yet progressed beyond that stage, and four years ago in Jamaica, they were sent on their way by one of the best hundreds of Mahela Jayawardene's career. Today, however, Jayawardene's solitary contribution was a catch at deep square leg. Whereas England have been on their chinstraps all tournament long, Sri Lanka - it is clear -are a team with plenty still in reserve.

Murali and Sangakkara ease Sri Lanka top

Sri Lanka 265 for 9 (Sangakkara 111, Jayawardene 66, Southee 3-63) beat New Zealand 153 (Taylor 33, Muralitharan 4-25) by 112 runs 

Veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan shrugged off a worrying injury scare to take four wickets as Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by 112 runs in their World Cup Group A clash on Friday. 

It was always a tough ask for New Zealand on the Wankhede Stadium pitch, which will stage the April 2 final, where the highest ever successful run chase was 229. 

Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara had earlier led from the front, hitting a fine 111 as his team posted 265-9 before Muralitharan worked his magic to send the Black Caps crashing to 153 all out after 35 overs. 

Muralitharan injured his left hamstring when he dived in vain to prevent being run out when Sri Lanka batted. 

He left the field early when New Zealand started their reply, but returned with devastating effect to have Kane Williamson stumped when the batsman was undone by a doosra. 

He then had skipper Ross Taylor, who had been dropped on nought, lbw for 33 to leave the Black Caps reeling on 93 for 5. 

Muralitharan then took a third wicket when he caught Scott Styris (6) off his own bowling to make the score 102-6 in the 24th over. 

Fellow spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan got rid of Nathan McCullum for 115-7 to break his sequence before Muralitharan had James Franklin caught by Dilshan at short extra cover for 20 to claim his fourth wicket. 

Spinner Ajantha Mendis took two wickets with seamer Lasith Malinga wrapping up the win by clean bowling Hamish Bennett with the last ball of the 35th over. 

The victory put Sri Lanka top of the table but with either Australia or Pakistan guaranteed to replace them on Saturday, the 1996 champions will finish second in the pool. 

That will guarantee a last eight clash with Group B's third-place finishers. 

Sangakkara put on 145 runs for the third wicket with his deputy Mahela Jayawardene (66) to pull his team out of early trouble in the day-night match featuring two sides who had already made the quarter-finals. 

But Jayawardene endured a controversial stay at the wicket. 

In the 24th over, the former captain tried to play a defensive shot against off-spinner Nathan McCullum but ended up chipping the ball back to the bowler. 

McCullum dived and managed to get his right hand under the ball to cap what looked like a stunning effort. 

But even as McCullum broke into a celebration, TV umpire Amish Saheba was called in and he ruled it not out. 

A furious McCullum and Taylor angrily protested the decision with on-field umpire Asad Rauf. 

"If I felt it was a clean catch, I would have walked," said Jayawardene. "It was a 50-50 thing and it was fair it went to the TV umpire." 

Jayawardene, then on 26, hit six fours in a dour 90-ball innings before being adjudged trapped leg before off Tim Southee, a decision he asked to be reviewed but in vain. 

Sangakkara played a captain's innings, racing to his 11th century and completing 9,000 one-day international runs in the process, the fourth Sri Lankan player to the mark. 

This was Sangakkara's first three-figure score in 63 innings, having gone without a ton since June 2008. 

He was bowled by Nathan McCullum in the 42nd over after facing 128 balls and hitting 12 fours and two sixes. 

Tharanga & All round Dilshan helps in Victrory also takes Sri Lanka into quarterfinals

Sri Lanka 327 for 6 (Dilshan 144, Tharanga 133) beat Zimbabwe 188 (Taylor 80, Dilshan 4-4) by 139 runs

When Elton Chigumbura chose to bowl in Pallekele, to avoid his spinners having to struggle with a dew-soaked ball, little did he think his team would fail to take a wicket for 44.3 overs. But Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga batted forever, notching up the first double-century opening partnership in World Cup history, and their hundreds set up Sri Lanka's victory, officially securing their place in the quarter-finals.

The result was a foregone conclusion once Sri Lanka scored 327 but there was a flutter of hope in the Zimbabwe camp when Brendan Taylor was at the forefront of the pursuit. He combined orthodoxy and innovation during an aggressive half-century, taking advantage of a wayward Sri Lankan pace attack. The hosts gathered themselves, though, and struck twice at the other end after a century opening stand. Taylor eventually departed for 80 in the 25th over, and with him ended Zimbabwe's improbable chances.

The struggle of Zimbabwe's batsmen was in contrast to the ease with which Dilshan and Tharanga had entertained a packed house. They started at top speed, taking 84 of the first 11 overs by playing a shot a minute, and then shifted to a lower gear, bleeding Zimbabwe steadily and so easily through the middle overs. There were regular bursts of acceleration later in the innings and a concerted push during the final ten overs. At no stage were they bothered and rarely has a bowling performance looked so toothless - Chris Mpofu's shout after striking Tharanga's pad with the first ball of the game was the only appeal against the openers. Tired shots, rather than incisive bowling, brought about the dismissal of Tharanga and then Dilshan, and more middle-order wickets fell as batsmen came, swung and pushed the total beyond 300.

Tharanga threaded the fourth ball through point with a square drive and Sri Lanka were away. For the first time in the tournament Chigumbura did not use Ray Price with the brand new ball and gave the second over to Tinashe Panyangara. It was a costly decision as Dilshan ran amok, driving the full balls, and cutting and pulling the short ones to take 18 runs off the over.

There was no let-up in Sri Lanka's pace during the mandatory Powerplay, off which they scored 77. Dilshan and Tharanga slashed through point, pulled through square and then drove when the length was too full, punishing everyone who bowled at them. When Price was brought on in the fifth over, Dilshan skipped down and drove him inside out through cover.

Not until the 12th and 13th over was there spin from both ends and then Price bowled the innings' first maiden. The spin trio of Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer began to exercise more control over the run-rate, which dipped below six for the first time in the 19th, but they failed to take a wicket. Tharanga and Dilshan seamlessly shifted to a lower gear and focused on accumulation.

Zimbabwe's spinners had conceded only 76 runs off 17 overs when Chigumbura gave pace another run by bringing himself on. Dilshan slapped a wide offering through cover to move to 99 and then reached his century off 95 balls, his first in World Cups. Panyangara returned and Tharanga immediately lofted over mid-off and pulled past fine leg. Sri Lanka took 30 off overs 31-33.

Tharanga and Dilshan broke Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti's World Cup record of 184 for the first wicket and then became the first openers to score hundreds in the same World Cup innings. They reached 200 in 33.4 overs. During the batting Powerplay, taken in the 41st over, Tharanga's inside-out play through cover was exquisite. With the highest opening partnership in ODIs - 286 between Sanath Jayasuriya and Tharanga at Headingley 2006 - within striking distance, Tharanga holed out to deep cover, bringing Zimbabwe some relief. Dilshan followed in the next over, leaving the finishing touches to his well-rested team-mates.

As impressive as Sri Lanka's display was, Taylor played some of the best shots of the game. Using Malinga's pace, Taylor flicked a low full toss to the backward square-leg boundary, pushed a wide one through covers and chipped a short one over Kumar Sangakkara's head. There was only touch and timing in those shots, no power. Taylor got to his fifty off 39 balls and carried on batting aggressively.

Muttiah Muralitharan came on only in the 16th over, after the bowling Powerplay was completed, and in the 20th he spun a doosra on to Regis Chakabva's off stump, ending the opening stand on 116. Tatenda Taibu was bent on reverse-sweeping Murali whenever he could, and got away with it. He didn't get away with edging Angelo Mathew though, and Sangakkara dived to his right to take the catch inches off the ground.

Those two wickets set back Zimbabwe's chase considerably, and Taylor's dismissal was the definitive blow. On 80, he chipped a slower ball from Angelo Mathews straight to midwicket and the contest was over. Dilshan returned to torment Zimbabwe, picking up four batsmen - his finishing touches on a terrific game. And Murali, playing his final ODI in front of his home crowd, took the final wicket.

Pakistan thrilling win over Sri Lanka

Pakistan 277 for 7 (Misbah 83*, Younis 72) beat Sri Lanka 266 for 9 (Silva 57, Afridi 4-34) by 11 runs 

Misbah batted fine inning of 83*

Anyone out there who still thinks Pakistan are not dangerous contenders for the World Cup? With tremendous poise and skill in the middle overs, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan propelled Pakistan, who were on a tricky 105 for 2 in the 21st over, to a strong 277, before Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akthar produced bits of magic to derail the chase. Chamara Silva threatened to pull off a thrilling heist with a flurry of boundaries, and Nuwan Kulasekara made one heroic last-ditch effort to reduce the equation to 18 runs from the final over. Umar Gul, however, held his nerve to steer Pakistan home and end a mesmeric exhibition of high-quality cricket in Colombo

Pakistan's innings had everything: rapid start, brain fade, tranquil middle overs, fabulous end-over bowling from Muttiah Muralitharan, who gave only five runs from two batting Powerplay overs, and finally a Misbah blitz, with 32 runs flowing from the final three overs, which eventually made the difference.

The chase too nearly had it all: two inspired moments bursting with imagination and skill from Shoaib and Afridi, two failed stumpings, a dropped catch and a late surge from Silva, who woke up too late after a painstaking start.

Sri Lanka, New Zealand open with power full victory

Sri Lanka 332 for 7 (Jayawardene 100, Sangakkara 92) beat Canada 122 (Cheema 37, Kulasekara 3-16) by 210 runs


Mahela scored hundred & won man of the match

New Zealand 72 for 0 (Guptill 39*, McCullum 26*) beat Kenya 69 (Bennett 4-16, Oram 3-2, Southee 3-13) by 10 wickets



Benett 4-16 for man of the match

Warm up match result on 15th feb...South africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Canada, Netherlands won

 

Shehzad ton helps Pakistan win over Bangladesh

Pakistan 285 for 9 (Shehzad 103, Misbah 100) beat Bangladesh 196 (Razzaq 3-31) by 89 runs

 Netherlands 264 (ten Doeschate 98 not out, Tikolo 4-39) beat Kenya 263 (Waters 126 not out, ten Doeschate 2-47) by two wickets

Sangakkara fifty helps Sri Lanka win over West indies

 Sri Lanka 282 for 6 (Sangakkara 71, Benn 3-40) beat West Indies 281 (Gayle 58, Malinga 3-33) by four wickets

Steyn bowl helps to fall Australia on 213

South Africa 218 for 3 (Smith 65, Amla 60) beat Australia 217 (Clarke 73, Steyn 3-21) by seven wickets

Ireland 245 for 6 (Botha 79, K O'Brien 62, Cusack 47) beat Zimbabwe 244 for 8 (Chigumbura 103*, Taibu 45) by four wickets

West inidies, Sri lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, New Zealand Won There warm up matches

West Indies 253 for 8 (Sarwan 123, Bravo 54, Odoyo 3-34) beat Kenya 192 (Obuya 68, Russell4-43) by 61 runs
Russell impressed by 4 wickets



Sri Lanka 351 for 5 (Dilsha 78, Samaraweera 60) beat Netherlands 195 (de Grooth 76, Fernando 4-43) by 156 runs
Fernando impressed by bowl



South Africa 153 for 2 (Kallis 49*, Price 1-19) beatZimbabwe 152 (Taylor 40, Morkel 3-16) by eight wickets
Kallis returned with well inning of 49* include 3fours & 3 sixes



New Zealand 311 for 6 (Guptill 130, Johnston 2-62) beat Ireland 279 (Porterfield 72, Vettori 4-42) by 32 runs
Guptil played well inning of 130



Bangladesh 113 for 1 (Tamim 69) beat Canada 112 (Shakib 3-5, Shafiul 2-5) by nine wickets