India v Sri Lanka
Wisden's review of the final, India v West Indies
15-Apr-2014
At Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, July 11, 2013. India won by one wicket. Toss: India.
Dhoni's customary composure, on his return from injury, clinched another trophy for India with two balls remaining and a panicky No. 11 at the other end. Deliberately shunning singles to keep the strike away from Ishant Sharma, Dhoni saw off four Sri Lankan bowlers before, with 15 required from the final over, he belted Eranga for a six into the upper boxes of the stand at long-off, a four to extra cover, and a six over point. Dhoni's first piece of bravado had been to defy the earlier prognosis that the hamstring injury he picked up in the first match would end his tournament. His initial decision to bowl first appeared questionable as Sangakkara and Thirimanne compiled 122 for the third wicket, and looked even worse when Sangakkara stroked Sharma for four, four and six off successive deliveries in the 38th over. But the dismissal in quick succession of Thirimanne and Sangakkara sparked a collapse: Sri Lanka's last eight wickets clattered for 30, mainly to the spin of Jadeja and Ashwin. Sri Lanka's varied bowling then kept India in check throughout, although they got through their overs so slowly that Mathews was banned for two one-dayers. Herath bowled his ten overs off the reel for just 20, and took four key wickets, two of them with successive balls in his last over, a double-wicket maiden. But for Dhoni, it would have been enough.
Man of the Match: M. S. Dhoni. Man of the Series: Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Dhoni's customary composure, on his return from injury, clinched another trophy for India with two balls remaining and a panicky No. 11 at the other end. Deliberately shunning singles to keep the strike away from Ishant Sharma, Dhoni saw off four Sri Lankan bowlers before, with 15 required from the final over, he belted Eranga for a six into the upper boxes of the stand at long-off, a four to extra cover, and a six over point. Dhoni's first piece of bravado had been to defy the earlier prognosis that the hamstring injury he picked up in the first match would end his tournament. His initial decision to bowl first appeared questionable as Sangakkara and Thirimanne compiled 122 for the third wicket, and looked even worse when Sangakkara stroked Sharma for four, four and six off successive deliveries in the 38th over. But the dismissal in quick succession of Thirimanne and Sangakkara sparked a collapse: Sri Lanka's last eight wickets clattered for 30, mainly to the spin of Jadeja and Ashwin. Sri Lanka's varied bowling then kept India in check throughout, although they got through their overs so slowly that Mathews was banned for two one-dayers. Herath bowled his ten overs off the reel for just 20, and took four key wickets, two of them with successive balls in his last over, a double-wicket maiden. But for Dhoni, it would have been enough.
Man of the Match: M. S. Dhoni. Man of the Series: Bhuvneshwar Kumar.