 
India made history here on Tuesday as Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men held their nerve to win a tense second final against Australia by nine runs and triumph in the Commonwealth Bank ODI tri-series.
India’s first tournament victory in the competition came in the final edition of the ODI tri-series in Australia. In the first match of the best-of-three finals on Sunday, India had beaten the home team by six wickets.
Scenes of joy were witnessed in the Indian camp moments after a battling James Hopes (63 off 80 balls) holed out to mid-wicket off Irfan Pathan with just two deliveries of the final over remaining. The ecstatic Indian cricketers, their supporters cheering them on, ran a victory lap with the national flag.
Paceman Praveen Kumar, whose three-wicket burst with the new ball reduced Australia to 32 for three, was named the ‘Man of the Finals.’ Australia’s left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken was adjudged the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his outstanding bowling right through the tri-series.
India, opting to bat, made 258 for nine in 50 overs. Sachin Tendulkar, following up his unbeaten 117 in the first final at the SCG, scored 91 (121b, 7×4).
The maestro’s opening partnership of 94 in 20.5 overs with Robin Uthappa (30) laid a solid foundation for the side. India lost its way towards the end of the innings but a fighting 37-ball 36 from skipper Dhoni ensured that the Aussies chased a competitive total. Then, Praveen used the conditions better than his Australian counterparts.
Matthew Hayden (55 off 68 balls) and Andrew Symonds (42 off 56) revived Australia’s hopes after the early collapse but the dismissal of both the batsmen in the 26th over of the innings put considerable pressure on the host. Michael Hussey and Hopes kept Australia in the hunt but the Indians displayed good end-game skills.
The match signalled the end of the careers of legendary batsman-wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and left-arm chinaman bowler Brad Hogg. Source: hindu
