Rahul Dravid's all-star batting lineup failed again, leaving India precariously close to following Pakistan in exiting the first round of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Sri Lanka's 69-run win over India on Friday took some attention off the police investigation into the murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, who was strangled in his hotel room last Sunday after his team's upset loss to Ireland.
While the Pakistan squad waited in Montego Bay, desperate to get home to concerned families, India was getting itself into a desperate situation.
The loss to Sri Lanka, coming after a five-wicket upset defeat to Bangladesh, means that India will have to rely on the slim hope that Bermuda will beat up on the Bangladeshis in the last of the group matches today.
And the chances of that are minimal -- tiny Bermuda's World Cup debut to date have been a 243-run loss to Sri Lanka, when it was bundled out for 78, and a 257-run loss to India.
"To be honest, we as a team did not deserve to advance to the Super 8s," said Dravid, who scored a defiant 60.
Dravid's heroics, however, were not enough to prop up India.
"We had our fate in our own hands and could not live up to expectations," he said.
India was all out for 185 in 43.3 overs chasing 255 to win, with Sri Lankan veterans Chaminda Vaas taking two early wickets.
RSS