In a sparkling photo-finish at Bangalore, India and England accomplished with alone the fourth tie in World Cup history yesterday. Set a alarming 339 to win, England looked to be benumbed home address of a Andrew Strauss century before a double blast from Zaheer Khan larboard them struggling. But improvised later-order batting from Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shehzad saw them according India’s ambition off the aftermost brawl of the match. This was billed as the additional covering bout of the World Cup afterwards the Sri Lanka-Pakistan appointment on Saturday and it lived up to the announcement and afresh some.
The date was set for a blood-tingling accomplishment back 29 runs were appropriate off the aftermost two overs. Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann managed 15 from the penultimate over bowled by Piyush Chawla, which included two sixes but additionally the wicket of Bresnan.
With 14 appropriate of the aftermost over bowled by Munaf Patel, Swann took two off the aboriginal brawl and afresh sneaked a distinct to duke the bang over to England’s Pakistani built-in Ajmal Shehzad. Perhaps the intercontinental animosity played a role, but Shehzad responded by hitting a six off the third ball, beeline over the bowler’s head. The batsmen blankets a distinct off the abutting brawl abrogation them to account four off the aftermost two. Swann heaved the aboriginal to midwicket for two, but admitting a abounding blooded drive from the aftermost brawl Yousuf Pathan fabricated a diving save at awning to ensure that both abandon took a point anniversary from the match.
After India accumulated on 338 in the aboriginal innings, England replied aggressively, and for abundant of their innings looked in advanced of the hosts. Captain Strauss’ seminal 158 looked like transforming a awe-inspiring assignment into a breeze and acknowledging him was Ian Bell (69), who with his captain put on 170 runs in aloof over 25 overs.
The brace came calm at the abatement of Jonathan Trott’s (16) wicket with the account on 111, and took the bold abroad from India with advancing active and adapted boundaries. Zaheer Khan, India’s standout bowler, angry things about in the 43 rd over, aloof back England looked like active abroad with the match. He best up the two top performers of England’s innings off afterwards deliveries, aboriginal accepting Bell to sky an over-the awning attempt to Virat Kohli at cover, afresh accepting the England captain leg-before off the actual abutting brawl with a absurd Yorker.
England did not cycle over afterwards that, alike as the aftermost recognized batsman, Matt Prior, got out with 50 runs still bare off the aftermost 28 deliveries and they ensured that they at atomic went home with a point.
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar already afresh akin the hopes of an alert nation with a record-breaking as century India accumulated up 338.
Tendulkar’s 120 saw him become the aboriginal batsman to account bristles centuries in World Cup cricket, claiming absolute a almanac ahead aggregate with India’s Sourav Ganguly and the Australian brace of Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Already the record-holder for best one-day all-embracing centuries, Tendulkar’s 47th hundred in 446 ODI matches saw him in complete ascendancy adjoin England’s hapless attack.
Together with Gautam Gambhir he aggregates a second-wicket angle of 134 at bigger than a run-a-ball afore the awkward opener was bowled by off-spinner Graeme Swann for 51.
Their affiliation followed the accident of Virender Sehwag, who fabricated 35 to chase his 175 in India’s tournament-opening win adjoin adolescent co-hosts Bangladesh.
Tendulkar afresh put on 56 with Yuvraj Singh afore he was bent off a arch bend by Michael Yardy at added awning off Anderson.
“I anticipate that’s a abundant score. I anticipate our batsmen gave a acceptable start,” said Yuvraj.
“I anticipate 340 is a acceptable account to defend. It’s axis and it’s got acceptable bounce,” he added.
Tendulkar faced 115 assurances with 10 fours and bristles sixes — three adjoin Swann and two off Paul Collingwood’s medium-pacers.
Left-hander Yuvraj ensured there was no acquittal for England with a quick fire 58 adjoins an England advance that absents the variations of Stuart Broad, alone through illness.
Anderson — clumsy to accomplish abundant accepted or about-face beat — conceded 91 runs in 9.5 overs, clumsy to axis the breeze of runs.
But Tim Bresnan best up several backward wickets back the advance was on to accomplishment with career-best abstracts of bristles for 48.
Tendulkar was composed aboriginal on afore the 37-year-old right-hander addled Collingwood for two sixes — the additional demography him to a 66-ball fifty.
England captain Andrew Strauss rang the changes but it fabricated little difference.
Tendulkar accomplished his century off 103 assurance back he glanced Bresnan for four, a attempt greeted by assonant acclaim from a near-capacity crowd.
SCORES IN BRIEF
INDIA: 338 all out in 49.5 overs (Sehwag 35, Tendulkar 120, Gambhir 51, Yuvraj 58, Dhoni 31, Pathan 14, Kohli 8; Bresnan 5-48)
ENGLAND: 338 for 8 in 50 overs (Strauss 158, Pietersen 31, Trott 16, Bell 69, Yardy 13, Bresnan 14, Swann 15 not out; Zaheer 3-64, Patel 2-70, Chawla 2-71)
Result: Match tied.
Man-of-the-match: Andrew Strauss.