Yuvraj takes India into Super League

Yuvraj Singh came up with a splendid 68 (62 balls, 12×4) to lift the floundering Indian innings and then returned to capture a decisive four for 36 in 9.3 overs.

India, who beat Holland in their opening tie and then split points with Bangladesh after their match was washed out, finished their league engagements with five points. New Zealand made it as the second team by edging out Bangladesh on net run rate.

But the biggest upset was the elimination of strong South Africa, who were done in by the complicated Duckworth Lewis system to finish third in Group C after all three of their ties were washed out.

While South Africa (3) rued their luck, minnows Nepal(4) sneaked through behind Pakistan (4) with the Himalayan nation’s 14-run win over Kenya proving decisive. West Indies (6) and defending champs England (4) from Group A and hosts Sri Lanka (6) and Australia (4) from Group D completed the line-up for the Super League begining on January 18. (PTI)

Scoreboard
India: RS Ricky c Horsley b Butler 15, M Sharma c N McCullum b Robin 9, M Kaif c B McCullum b Robin 0, Yuvraj Singh c & b Irwin 68, RS Sodhi c B McCullum b Irwin 5, YV Rao c Franklin b Irwin 8, NK Patel c B McCullum b McNamee 25, A Ratra c Horsley b Robin 16, M Tripathi b Robin 16, AM Dave not out 16, S Sriwastava c B McCullum b Shaw 3. Extras: (w 11, nb 7) 18. Total (all out, in 49.1 overs): 199
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-28, 3-31, 4-37, 5-72, 6-135, 7-145, 8-161, 9-189Bowling: Robin 10-1-26-4, Butler 5-0-25-1, Irwin 10-5-13-3, Shaw 9.1-1-52-1, Franklin 1-0-16-0, N McCullum 10-1-36-0, McNamee 4-1-31-1
New Zealand: B McCullum c Ratra b Sriwastava 6, J How c M Sharma bSriwastava 19, N Horsley lbw Sodhi 15, JP McNamee c Tripathi b Yuvraj Singh 50, JEC Franklin b Rao 20, S Stewart run out (Sriwastava) 6, G Irwin st Ratra b Yuvraj Singh 23, N McCullum c Rao b Yuvraj Singh 13, G Shaw run out (Dave) 1, I Butler b Yuvraj Singh 6, T Robin not out 0. Extras: (lb 3, w 7, nb 2): 12. Total (all out, in 49.3 overs): 171
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-39, 3-50, 4-95, 5-116, 6-141, 7-161, 8-164, 9-065
Bowling: Sriwastava 8-1-37-2, Tripathi 5-0-15-0, Sodhi 5-1-18-1, Dave 10-0-28-0, Yuvraj Singh 9.3-0-36-4, Rao 10-2-25-1, Kaif 2-0-9-0.