India V England 6th ODI 2006

After restricting India to 223 in 48 overs on a good batting track, England cruised to the target in 42.4 overs to reduce the margin of defeat in the seven-match series to 4-1 with one more game to go.

Chasing the modest target set by the home team, which was built around a sparkling 96 by local hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni, England were never in trouble, guided in their purpose by a 74-run knock by Andrew Strauss, leading the side in absence of Andrew Flintoff who was rested for the match.

While Strauss led by example to savour a convincing win, home captain Virender Sehwag had nothing to cheer about, failing with the bat yet again

After the reverses in the first four matches — the fifth was abandoned in Guwahati — England put up an inspiring performance both with the ball and the bat to make it a one-sided affair in the end.

Cruising at 190 for two at stage, they lost a couple of quick wickets, but by then the fate of the match was already sealed.

However, some drama was injected into the proceedings late in the England innings when Harbhajan Singh sent back Kevin Pietersen (33) and Ramesh Powar, who had hit a crucial 54 earlier in Indian innings, dismissed Liam Plunkett in quick succession.

The highlight of England’s chase was the fine 85-ball knock by Strauss, leading England for the first time ever. The left-handed opener, who battled cramps in his innings before retiring hurt, hit ten fours and was declared man of the match.

Earlier, Dhoni rescued India from an inexplicable batting collapse with a mature knock.

Dhoni, promoted to open the innings, slammed 10 fours and three sixes in his 106-ball knock to lift India from a sorry-reading 79 for 5. The Jharkhand player found able support in Powar who scored his maiden half-century and shared a crucial 107-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Dhoni.

Nothing seemed to go right for the hosts after Sehwag won the toss and elected to bat on a placid track.

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