India has kept alive its hopes of making the final with a thrilling 16-run win over the West Indies in a low-scoring match in the DLF Cup in Kuala Lumpur..jpg)
India looked to be heading for its sixth straight one-day international defeat to the West Indians when dismissed for just 162 in less than 40 overs but managed to rally to knock over its opposition for just 146 in 41 overs.
Harbhajan Singh was the hero for India, sharing an invaluable 78-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar before taking 3-35 to help India to an unlikely victory.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, India's innings started terribly when skipper Rahul Dravid was out for a duck to just the third ball he faced. Virender Sehwag fell for one in the second over to leave India reeling at 2-6.
Suresh Raina (11), Yuvraj Singh (0) and Mahendra Dhoni (18) all went cheaply as India struggled to 5-69 after 15 overs.
But Harbhajan (37) and the ever-reliable Tendulkar (65) managed to stem the rot and take the score through to 156 before the spinner was caught off the bowling of Chris Gayle while trying to force the pace.
When Tendulkar fell in the next over, India's innings was virtually over leaving the West Indies a very gettable target of 163.
The Windies started the run chase well with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Runako Morton putting on 44 for the opening partnership before Chanderpaul was caught by Sehwag off the bowling of Munaf Patel for 21 in the 13th over.
That triggered a collapse as Ramnaresh Sarwan (2), Morton (27), Marlon Samuels (5), Gayle (1) and Dwayne Smith (12) fell in less than eight overs to leave the West Indies teetering at 6-83 off 22 overs and the match evenly poised.
Skipper Brian Lara joined Wavell Hinds at the crease to try to steady the ship but it was only Lara who managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over as Hinds scratched his way to just 8 runs off 57 deliveries before Harbhajan dismissed him with a smart caught and bowled.
Harbhajan also took the wickets of Dwayne Bravo (10) and Carlton Baugh (6) with Corey Collymore falling to Sri Sreesanth for a duck have the West Indies all out for 146 with Lara, who batted down the order, stranded on 40.
India now plays Australia on Friday in the last match of the preliminary rounds for the chance to go through to Sunday's final against the West Indies.
