India ended their miserable Twenty20 World Cup campaign on an embarrassing note with a 12-run defeat against South Africa –their third straight loss in the tournament– in a low-scoring Super Eight match here.
India’s star-studded batting order failed yet again as they could not chase down 131 runs that would have spared them the ignominy of finishing their Super Eight campaign without a single win to show.
In the end, 118 was all they could manage losing eight wickets.
This was after India’s disciplined bowlers — eight of them were pressed into action — had restricted South Africa to 130 for five on a sluggish track, last night.
Going by their start, a defeat never looked like a possibility for India. With Gambhir wasting precious little time in imposing himself and his aggression rubbing off on Rohit, India were off to a flying start till the mid-innings collapsed happened
Gautam Gambhir (21) and Rohit Sharma (29) gave India a strong start but it was Yuvraj Singh’s run-a-ball 25 that actually rekindled India’s hopes of a win in their swansong tie before the defending champions faltered.
India won their first test series on New Zealand soil in 41 years on Tuesday after rain spoilt their chances of winning the third and final test at the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand were struggling to save the game at 281 for eight after being set an improbable target of 617 when rain came to their rescue after lunch.
By winning their third successive test series since defeating top-ranked Australia in November, India have shown they are ready to stake a claim on the number one ranking.
They beat England from a no-hope situation in Chennai to clinch the series and have now convincingly won a historic test series in New Zealand
Now the team is now moving up the ladder to challenge Australia
Men’s ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup 2009 schedule
Group A
Group B
- Pakistan
- England
- Netherlands
Group C
- Australia
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
Group D
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- Scotland
Group E A1, B2, C1, D2
Group F B1, A2, C2, D1
India in New Zealand Cricket Match
Date Match Venue Time
Feb 20 India arrive in New Zealand
Feb 25 1st Twenty20 International (D/N) Christchurch 11:30 IST
Feb 27 2nd Twenty20 International (D/N) Wellington 11:30 IST
Mar 3 First ODI (D/N) Napier 06:30 IST
Mar 6 Second ODI (D/N) Wellington 06:30 IST
Mar 8 Third ODI (D/N) Christchurch 06:30 IST
Mar 11 Fourth ODI (D/N) Hamilton 06:30 IST
Mar 14 Fifth ODI (D/N) Auckland 06:30 IST
Mar 19-23 First Test Hamilton 03:30 IST
Mar 27-31 Second Test Napier 03:30 IST
Apr 4-8 Third Test Wellington 03:30 IST
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has joined a list of greats after being crowned 2008 European Footballer of the Year.
The Portuguese international won the prestigious Ballon d’Or after 77 of the 96 journalists voted him as number one.
Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals to help United win the Champions League and Premier League titles, polled 446 points from a maximum 480, to beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (281) and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (179).
The 23-year-old becomes the third Portuguese player to lift the trophy , after legendary pair Eusebio and Luis Figo – and joins fellow Red Devils George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton in taking the gong.
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