India crafted a 16-run win in the shortened third one-day international against England yesterday to go 3-0 up in the seven-match series.
Chasing a modest England total of 240, the home team were 198-5 after 40 overs when poor light forced an early end to the match, already reduced to 49 overs per side after a delayed start due to morning haze.
The Indians were deemed to be ahead of the required total on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Indian skipper Mahendra Dhoni, anticipating such an end to the match, resorted to cautious batting, well aware than another wicket could spell defeat for his side.
The usually aggressive Dhoni scored 29 not out off 51 balls.
It was opener Virender Sehwag who top-scored for the hosts with 68 while Andrew Flintoff finished as the most successful bowler for the visitors with figures of 3-31 off nine overs.
India, who won in Rajkot and Indore by comfortable margins, lost early wickets to be reduced to a shaky 34-2 by the 10th over.
In-form opener Gautam Gambhir (14) holed out off Flintoff while Suresh Raina inside edged Stuart Broad onto his stumps.
Sehwag, dropped by Samit Patel off his own bowling on 47, went on to complete his 31st ODI fifty with a six off Graeme Swann before being caught high in the air by Paul Collingwood off Flintoff.
He hit eight fours and a six in his 76-ball effort.
Yuvraj Singh, who tormented the visitors with centuries in the first two matches, failed to convert his start into a big score this time — his mistimed pull off Flintoff being taken by Broad.
Harbhajan Singh, declared man of the match, took three key wickets to restrict England on an uneven paced Green Park track.
The off-spinner dismissed skipper Kevin Pietersen (13) and Collingwood off successive overs before sending back Owais Shah.
Makeshift opener Ravi Bopara (60) top-scored for the visitors, who rejigged their batting order, and shared 79 runs with Ian Bell (46).
The fourth game of the seven-match series will be played in Bangalore on Sunday.
■ S AFRICA V BANGLADESH
AFP, BLOEMFONTAIN, SOUTH AFRICA
South African left-arm spinner Paul Harris suffered a fracture to the base of his left thumb before play started in the first Test against Bangladesh, officials said yesterday.
It was announced that Harris would not bat but that he would be able to bowl.
The injury happened during the warm-up before play on Wednesday. Because it happened after the toss, Harris could not be replaced.
Media officer Michael Owen-Smith said further details would be released when a full medical report was available.
■ SRI LANKAFP, BLOEMFONTAIN, SOUTH AFRICAA V ZIMBABWE
AFP, HARARE
Sri Lanka won the first of five ODIs against Zimbabwe yesterday by six wickets. Batting first, Zimbabwe were 127 all out after 31 overs. In reply Sri Lanka reached 130 for four after 33.2 overs.
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