India survived a valiant fightback from Australia to win a thrilling second Commonwealth Bank final by nine runs and claim the series 2-0.
Irfan Pathan took two wickets in the final over with Australia needing 13 to win in Brisbane, after a half-century from James Hopes had inspired the hosts' fightback. Chasing 259 after Sachin Tendulkar posted a classy 91, Australia struggled to recover from the loss of Adam Gilchrist, who scored two in his final international innings, and skipper Ricky Ponting for one.
Matthew Hayden (55) and the middle order provided some resistance to set up a nailbiting finish but the India bowlers skittled the tail to clinch victory. After his brilliant innings of 117 provided the platform for India's victory in Sydney, Tendulkar struck 91 before being superbly caught by Ricky Ponting off the bowling of Michael Clarke. Yuvraj Singh made a quickfire 38 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni 36, although the tourists would have been disappointed that they did not record a bigger score having been well set at 205 for three with just over 10 overs remaining.
Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat but India struggled to get going initially because of some tight bowling from the Australians. Having been dropped by Ricky Ponting early on, however, Tendulkar soon got into his stride by punching Stuart Clark through mid-on for four before clubbing another off the back foot through the same area. The 'Little Master' was beginning to look in the mood and lifted Mitchell Johnson over the slip cordon to the fence before repeating the dose with a straight drive in the left-arm seamer's following over. Tendulkar brought up a 70-ball half century with a single off Clark before steering another boundary off Johnson.....Read more here
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