Sehwag underpins passage to final
Virender Sehwag plays an almost lone hand as India post what proved to be a defendable 223 in Dambulla
India cantered to a 105-run victory over New Zealand in Dambulla, qualifying for Saturday’s Tri-series final against tournament hosts Sri Lanka on the back of Virender Sehwag's 93-ball 110.
Sehwag's knock was the standout performance on a day where ball dominated bat as India managed only 223 and New Zealand were skittled for 118.
Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel, who claimed 3-21, ripped through the inexperienced Black Caps line-up after India failed to make the most of Sehwag's century to leave an achieveable target.
New Zealand made a dismal start to their reply, losing wickets in a heap.
Kumar, who took 3-34, and Ashish Nehra used the conditions so well that the first four batsmen could not even reach double figures and by the 17th over Ross Taylor's side had been reduced to 42 for six.
Martin Guptill, Taylor and Scott Styris were snared by Kumar, while Patel saw off Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins and Nathan McCullum.
New Zealand were reduced to 53 for eight, but a 27-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Kyle Mills and Tim Southee held the innings together for a while.
Ravindra Jadeja ended the stand by enticing Southee to play a lofted drive straight to long-on.
Mills then switched gears, smashing the bowling to all parts in an entertaining powerplay.
In the company of number 11 Andy McKay, he frustrated the bowlers and in the process also brought up his second one-day international fifty, studded with three sixes and seven fours.
Tim Southee makes Virat Kohli the first of his victims en route to fine figures of 4-49, but he could not prevent India reaching the final
Nehra wrapped up the New Zealand innings with the first ball of the 31st over when Mills holed out at long-on for an entertaining 52 off 35 balls.
Batting first after winning the toss, India made a shaky start by losing opener Dinesh Karthik and Virat Kohli early on, both caught poking outside off stump.
Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh added 34, but two quick wickets put India on the back foot again.
McKay and Southee claimed Yuvraj and Suresh Raina respectively, both perishing to poor shot selection.
But Sehwag, in the company of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, steadied the ship. Sehwag played more aggressively, while Dhoni largely got his runs in singles and twos.
Sehwag brought up his 13th century during a 107-run partnership that was broken by Nathan McCullum when Sehwag, who hit 16 fours and one six in his majestic innings, holed out at deep midwicket.
He had taken India to 173 for five in the 33rd over, but New Zealand's bowlers clawed it back thereafter, making regular inroads into the India lower order.
Dhoni and Jadeja fell in quick succession for 38 and 17 respectively to leave India 199 for seven.
Southee picked up 4-49 and McCullum 3-35, keeping a tight leash on the batsmen who, with Sehwag and Dhoni gone, did not have the class to last 50 overs in testing conditions.
Mills also claimed two wickets as India's tail succumbed meekly, the last five wickets falling for just 24 runs in under 10 overs.
