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Win India was declared winner of the third ODI of seven match series with England by 16 runs through Duckworth/Lewis method as the match had started late and ended early under fading light. With this win India is leading in the seven match series with 3-0. At the other end it has frustrated the English side which was confident of winning the third game. The match had started late and it had been truncated to 49 overs. Indian chasing the victory target of 241 had made 198 for five in 40 overs when the bad light ended the match abruptly. Later on result was declared in favor of India according to the Duckworth/Lewis method as they were 16 runs ahead of the required score from 40 overs.

Indian Top Order When the match ended the match was in a balanced conditions and could switch to any side as India had lost five wickets and needed 43 runs to win with the last recognized pair of batsmen on the crease. Opener Virender Sehwag was the top scorer for his side with 68 runs from 76 balls that included 8 fours and 1 six. He along with Rohit Sharma (28) steered his side out of danger by adding 73 runs for the third wicket after India had lost two early wickets of Gautam Gambhir (14) and Suresh Raina (1) for 34 runs. It was also a much improved display by the English players as compared to their earlier two games. Gambhir was caught at long on by Stuart Broad off Flintoff. He was soon followed by S Raina who played a delivery of Broad onto his stumps. But Sehwag and Rohit Sharma denied another quick success to their opponents and played some good shots to keep the score board ticking. Sehwag completed his 31^th One Day fifty by hitting Graeme Swann for a six .He was caught at point by Collingwood off Flintoff. Flintoff tormented the Indian batsmen in his first spell of 5-0-13-1. He also sent three key Indian batmen, Gambhir, Sehwag and Yuvraj packing by giving just 31 runs.

Middle Order Rohit Sharma once again failed to convert a good start into a big score and fell to Swann. Then centurion of first two matched Yuvraj Singh(38) came in to join captain Dhoni and was welcomed by the crowd with thunderous applause. They both added 52 runs for the fifth wicket from 64 balls. But Flintoff struck again and cut short Yuvraj’s journey by getting him caught by Broad at square-leg fence. But skipper Dhoni along with Yusuf Pathan (12) kept their side ahead of Duckworth/Lewis equation by scoring some quick runs amid fading light.

England-Batting Earlier in the morning skipper Kevin Pietersen won the toss and elected to bat first. England opened with a changed batting order. Both the openers, Ravi Bopara (60) and Ian Bell gave a good start to their side by adding 79 runs for the first wicket. Though Indian batsmen got swing earlier in the morning but luck did not favor them. Munaf Patel drew the first blood for his side when he got Bell caught behind by wicket keeper Dhoni. Skipper Pietersen, who joined Bopara slammed Yuvraj for a six but could not face Harbhajan Singh successfully. Harbhajan Singh, who was later on declared man of the match, took three wickets for 31 runs and kept a tight leash on the scoring. His other two victims were, out of form Paul Collingwood (1) and Owais Shah (40). He completed his 200 wickets in ODIs when he dismissed Owais Shah. He was caught at boundary by Zaheer Khan. England’s forth wicket to go was Bopara whom Dhoni stumped off Yuvraj Singh. Ishant Sharma sent Samit Patel and Matt Prior packing off his successive balls. All-rounder Yousaf Pathan trapped Flintoff leg-before wicket when he was on 26. Zaheer Khan dismissed S Broad while Munaf’s second wicket was James Anderson. Harbhajan Singh was declared Man of the Match.

England’s much improved performances indicates that the next games will be fought closely.