Wednesday 30th March, 2011

BY REX CLEMENTINE Dilshan’s dismissal. There were few nervous moments but at The introduction of Jesse Ryder helped the end, half-centuries by Kumar break shackles as Silva hit him Sangakkara and were for two fours in an over. But he was dis- good enough to help Sri Lanka qualify for the missed in the next over with Sri Lanka finals of the ICC Word Cup after they still requiring 33 runs to win. beat New Zealand by five in the semi- required a run- final clash yesterday at R. Premadasa Stadium ner as he had strained a thigh mus- in . cle while fielding and together Sri Lanka bowled out New Zealand for 217 with Samaraweera ensured Sri runs after and Lanka didn’t throw a wonder- picked up three apiece and were cruising chas- ful opportunity away. ing the modest target at 160 for one with As he had done so often, Sangakkara and Dilshan looking solid, but Mathews ensured he they lost three wickets for nine runs to expose a fragile middle-order and sensing an opportu- nity, the New Zealanders had their tails up. Dilshan and Sangakkara had given no chance for the bowlers while cutting, pulling and driving with power and elegance and the dismissal of Dilshan suddenly brought New Zealand back into the game. lasted only three balls as trapped him leg before and three overs later Sangakkara was caught at third man when he cut Andy McKay , uppishly to make it 169 for four. right, and Mahela Both Thilan Samaraweera and Chamara Jayawardene, left, Silva lived dangerously as the Sri Lankan sup- celebrate their victory. porters watched in pin-drop silence with just (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) 16 runs coming off 50 deliveries since Yet another ODI record by Sri Lanka

BY MAHINDA WIJESINGHE Lankan openers, T. M. Dilshan (108*) and The 231-run unbeaten (102*), at the R. Premadasa opening stand by the Sri Stadium on 26 March 2011 against during the current World Cup tourna- ment, is not only the highest target (230), chased down by a side in ODI cricket to win, not only SCOREBOARD , foreground, acknowledges spectators as he walks back to withoutlosing a the pavilion with captain during the World Cup semi-final wicket, but also New Zealand Innings Sri Lanka Innings against New Zealand in Colombo, Tuesday, March 29. Muralitharan, who played when both openers U. Tharanga c Ryder b Southee 30 M. Guptill b Malinga 39 his last international match on Sri Lankan soil yesterday, will retire from One- remained unbeaten B. McCullum b Herath 13 T. Dilshan c Ryder b Southee 73 day Internationals on the April 2 World Cup final played in Mohali, India. with centuries to J. Ryder c Sangakkara b M’tharan 19 K. Sangakkara c Styris b McKay 54 their credit. M. Jayawardene lbw b Vettori 1 (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) R. Taylor c Tharanga b Mendis 36 T. Samaraweera 23 S. Styris lbw b Muralitharan 57 C. Silva b Southee 13 came up with the goods when it six.Sri Lanka will now travel to K. Williamson lbw b Malinga 22 A. Mathews not out 14 N. McCullum c S’kkara b Malinga 9 mattered. He hit a six and a four off Bombay to play the grand finale on Extras: (2lb, 10w) 12 a over to calm things April 2nd against the winners of J. Oram c Jayawardene b Dilshan 7 TOTAL: (for 5 wickets) 220 and in the next over Samaraweera today’s semi-final between India D. Vettori not out 3 Overs: 47.5. time: 224 minutes. edged one between the wicket-keep- and . This is their third Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-160, 3-161, 4- T. Southee c Sangakkara b Mendis 0 er and wide slip for four to trigger World Cup final. 169, 5-185. A. McKay b Mendis 0 celebrations. Earlier, after losing the toss, Sri Did not bat: Lasith Malinga, Rangana Extras: (5lb,1nb,6w) 12 Samaraweera was unbeaten on Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Lanka’s spin trio Muttiah TOTAL: (all out) 217 23 off 38 balls. Mendis. Muralitharan, and Overs: 48.5. Dilshan, meanwhile, went onto : McCullum 6-0-33-0 (1w), Mendis kept things tight to restrict become the highest run getter in Batting time: 222 minutes. Southee 10-2-57-3 (3w), Vettori 10-0- the New Zealanders to a manage- Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-69, 3-84, 4-161, 36-1, Oram 8-1-29-0, McKay 9.5-1-37-1 the tournament with 467 runs able target. Malinga bowled with 5-192, 6-204, 7-213, 8-215, 9-217, 10- (6w), Styris 2-0-12-0, Ryder 2-0-14-0. going past England’s Jonathan fire and picked up three wickets. 217. Toss: New Zealand. Trott (422). Sangakkara, who post- It was also off-spinner ed his third half-century in the Bowling: Malinga 9-0-55-3 (1nb), : Sri Lanka by five wickets. Muralitharan’s last game in Sri tournament, is five runs behind Herath 9-1-31-1 (1w), Mathews 6-0-27- Umpires: Steve Davis, , and Lanka and he thrilled his fans Trott with 417 runs. He was named 0, Mendis 9.5-0-35-3, Muralitharan 10- Aleem Dar, Pakistan. claiming a wicket off the last ball. Man of the Match. Dilshan’s 73 1-42-2 (2w), Dilshan 5-0-22-1 (3w) TV umpire: Marais Erasmus, South Muralitharan was doubtful for yes- came in 93 balls with ten fours and Africa. terday’s game, but finished with Match referee: Chris Broad, England. a six while Sangakkara’s 54 came in 79 balls with seven fours and a impressive figures of two for 42. Largest security operation set for India-Pakistan semi-final

BY NICK HOULT guarding the luxury hotel in rorist attacks on Mumbai have been on duty over the week with delicate talks Chandigarh where the teams in 2008. past two days while India focusing on anti-terrorism The largest security opera- are staying. Border patrols Pakistani supporters and Pakistan trained at between the two nations tion yet to be deployed at a have been increased following will be able to enter India the ground. due to be held in Delhi on cricket match will take place intelligence tip-offs suggest- only via the Wagah border Yousuf Raza Gilani, March 28. in Mohali on Wednesday ing the game may be targeted. crossing, which is close to the prime minister of Border officials admit- when India play Pakistan in a Last week Interpol arrest- Mohali, and extensive Pakistan, has accepted an ted on Monday that they World Cup semi-final that will ed a man travelling between searches on trains carry- invitation from his Indian are unable to estimate the be attended by the prime min- Pakistan and the Maldives in ing passengers across the counterpart, Manmohan number of fans who have isters of both countries. connection with terrorist border will take place as Singh, to attend the game crossed from Pakistan into A no-fly zone will be in plots against the World Cup Indian police monitor the while several government India for the match until a place around the PCA and around 3,000 police will movements of terrorist ministers, industrialists final visa count is made on Stadium, which is next to a patrol Wednesday’s match, cells in Pakistan. and Bollywood stars are Tuesday. military airport, while more the first meeting of the two Fears the match could on the VIP list. Overcrowding at hotels than 1,000 police have been teams in India since the ter- be used as a vehicle for Cricket and diplomacy in Mohali and its sister political protest increased have been seen in action city, Chandigarh, is such on Monday when there before in India with that government officials were skirmishes outside General Pervez Musharraf have asked local residents the stadium between attending a match between to take in guests. police and pharmaceutical the two nations in 2005 but “It is a big moment for workers protesting at relations have been severe- Punjab. Accommodation is recent job cuts in the city. ly strained since the a problem. We appeal to The police baton- Mumbai attacks, allegedly the people to spare at least charged a crowd estimated orchestrated by militants one room in their houses to number 1,000 and made in Pakistan. for the guests,” said seven arrests. The visit by Gilani is Punjab’s deputy chief Members of India’s an important first step minister, Sukhbir Singh elite Special Protection along the road to healing Badal. Group, which guards the relations and the Indian © The Telegraph prime minister, and the government cannot afford Group, National Security Guard any form of incident this London, 2011

Wednesday 30th March, 2011