Victory would keep India going

COLOMBO, JULY 2: Smarting from an unexpected reverse against Sri Lanka, India will go all out to take New Zealand in their stride tomorrow a...

COLOMBO, JULY 2: Smarting from an unexpected reverse against Sri Lanka, India will go all out to take New Zealand in their stride tomorrow and seal a final berth without any anxiety in the Independence Cup tri-series cricket tournament.

The final league tie will be crucial for India, as they need one more point to equal Sri Lanka8217;s tally of six points and clinch the summit clash against the hosts at the expense of the Kiwis, who have just three points with two games left.

India will be fielding the same side that lost yesterday after an electrifying start at the Sinhalese Sports Club SSC Ground, coach Anshuman Gaekwad told reporters.

A victory tomorrow in their last league match will remove any anxiety in the Indian camp. A New Zealand win would help them level points with India with a final league tie against the hosts 8211; slated for July 5 8211; in hand.

India will go all out, Gaekwad said, and explained that yesterday8217;s batting collapse while chasing was partly due to the pressure to step up the runrate due to threat of rain.

India, 41 for none lost five wickets for just 17 runs and a retrieving act by Robin Singh and Ajit Agarkar went in vain.

The batsmen resorted to aggression on Tendulkar8217;s fall as India, as per rules, had to reach 134 in 20 to win the 36-over tie in the event of a rain-interruption.

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Indian batsmen, to avoid a repetition of their June 21 tie against New Zealand at the Premadasa Stadium, when rain began falling in the 25th over of India8217;s chase and forced abandonment of the match.

India, despite being strongly placed could have lost had the Kiwis completed 25 overs due to inferior run rate and that was why Nayan Mongia was promoted as pinch-hitter, Gaekwad said.

Mongia8217;s promotion was also influenced by the fact that the dapper stumper had succeeded twice in succession at Sharjah recently. Unfortunately, he fell early and the middle order also unexpectedly collapsed.

But Gaekwad admitted that Anil Kumble, who faced Sanath Jayasuriya8217;s last over with India needing 10 runs,could have taken a single to give Robin Singh the strike. Kumble was out first ball as the bowler claimed the last three wickets in four balls for a single run to hand India the narrow defeat.

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New Zealand, on the other hand, will be keen to get in some play after losing to Sri Lanka and failing to complete the rain-hit match against India on the only two occasions weather has permitted them some action.

But the Kiwis, led by the in-form skipper Stephen Fleming and packed with utility all-rounders like the seasoned Chris Cairns and Chris Harris, will be no pushovers.

TEAMS

India from:

Mohd Azharuddin capt,
Saurav Ganguly,
Sachin Tendulkar,
Nayan Mongia,
Ajay Jadeja,
Hrishikesh Kanitkar,
Robin Singh,
Ajit Agarkar,
Anil Kumble,
Venkatesh Prasad,
Harbhajan Singh,
Rahul Sanghvi,
Gagan Khoda,
Debashish Mohanty.

New Zealand from:

Stephen Fleming capt,
Nathan Astle,
Bryan Young,
Matt Horne,
Mark Priest,
CraigMacmillan,
Adam Parore,
Chris Cairns,
Daniel Vettori,
Paul Wiseman,
Chris Harris,
Alex Tait,
Craig Spearman,
Simon Doull.