Poor light saw D/L method playing the decisive role as India won the third ODI at Kanpur by 16 runs. Chasing 240, India were 16 runs ahead of the revised target and finished with at 198/5.
England's all-rounder Andrew Flintoff broke the 52-run partnership between MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh after he dismissed the latter for 38 runs in the third ODI at Kanpur.
After flaying England bowlers, Yuvraj mistimed a pull shot off a short delivery and found Stuart Broad at the deep square leg. In his knock of 38 runs, Yuvraj slammed two fours and one six. He fell as Flintoff's third wicket. Previously, Freddie dismissed Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.
Sehwag sliced one from Freddie in the gully region and Paul Collingwood took an unbelievable catch to see the dangerous Indian opener back in the hut. Sehwag raised 31st ODI half-century, his fifth against England. He had added 73 runs with Rohit Sharma for the third wicket before England spinner Graeme Swann dismissed the latter for 28 runs as the third Indian wicket. Sharma tried to cut a delivery but his late movement saw the ball taking a thick edge of his bat before wicketkeeper Matt Prior gloved it.
Sehwag lost his opening partner Gautam Gambhir early in the innings. Flintoff picked his wicket when Gambhir chipped a short ball and Stuart Broad caught him at third man for 14 runs. Broad carried the momentum and hurriedly dismissed Raina for 1 run. A good-length delivery swung back in and took an inside edge of Raina's wicket before crashing into the leg-stump.
Earlier, on what was predicted to be a batting track, England fell well short by at least 30-40 runs as India bundled them for 240 runs in 48.4 overs. India's off-spinner Harbhajan Singh picked three wickets and also completed his 200 ODI wickets. He became the sixth Indian bowler to cross the 200-mark after Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan. He achieved this feat when he dismissed Owais Shah for 40 runs. Shah holed one from Harbhajan to Zaheer at long-off.
Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood were his first two victims whom he foxed with his 'doosra' and removed in quick succession. He first deceived Pietersen (13) as the English skipper went for the lofted drive and found Zaheer at long-off. Bhajji's next victim, Collingwood was beaten by the flight. He lunged forward to drive the ball but lost the balance and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni stumped him for just 1 run.
After a steady start from openers Ravi Bopara and Ian Bell, England lost the plot and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bopara, who was promoted as the opener in place of Matt Prior, gave a good start to his side along with Ian Bell. They added 79 runs for the first wicket when Indian pacer Munaf Patel gave India the first breakthrough. He dismissed Bell for 46 runs. A good-length delivery from Munaf took a faint edge of Bell's bat before landing in the gloves of Dhoni. Munaf also dismissed James Anderson as the last wicket of the innings with a straight delivery knocking off the middle stump.
While his partner missed out on a fifty, Bopara got one up in the order. He slammed fourth ODI fifty, his second against India, with the help of eight fours. He was removed by Yuvraj Singh for 60 runs. Yuvraj's short of length delivery drew Bopara out of the crease. The ball beat him and Dhoni made no mistake behind the wickets to knock off the bails.
Andrew Flintoff was done by Yusuf Pathan for 26 runs. The ball pitched in the line of off and middle. Flinotff tried to play across the line and the ball hit him on the knee-roll.
Ishant Sharma, who replaced RP Singh, struggled with his bowling but finished with two wickets of Samit Patel and Matt Prior. While Patel (26) was caught by Suresh Raina at long-off, Prior missed the next delivery that kissed the leg-stump and sent him packing for 5 runs. Zaheer picked Stuart Broad's wicket as he surprised him with a short ball and Dhoni took a simple catch behind the stumps.
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