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| |  Monday, 4 February, 2002, 08:57 GMT India laments familiar story Hussain (right) was more pleased than Ganguly over the 3-3 draw The Indian media has labelled their national cricketers 'chokers' after a five-run victory for England in Bombay helped the tourists draw the six-match one-day series 3-3. India were 3-1 up in the series before falling two runs short in Delhi on Thursday and then failing in the chase to score 256 for victory on a good batting wicket on Sunday. "Despair and delirium in Mumbai [Bombay]: India snatch defeat from victory," said a front page photo caption in The Indian Express.
"If ever there's an advertisement for self-destruction, the Indian cricket team would be an ideal role model," the newspaper said. And its eight-column banner headline read: "Final act, choking scene: India's storyline remains unchanged". India were cruising with 10 overs to go when a middle-order collapse saw them lose the last seven wickets for just 59 runs. For Indian fans the scene was familiar: their side has failed to win in the last nine one-day triangular tournament finals in which they have appeared. And their last major head-to-head series, against Australia in April, saw them concede a 2-1 lead as the tourists won the last two matches. Captain Sourav Ganguly top-scored for India with a gritty 80 but it was not enough to stop calls for his dismissal. "Ganguly's best effort in a crunch match was not enough to win the sixth and final one-day international," said The Hindu. "He made his bat talk, but it was the England captain Nasser Hussain who had the last laugh," the newspaper added. Chase falls flat
India pulled ahead with a four-wicket win in Madras and an eight-wicket mauling in Kanpur. But the tourists pulled back at the last, claiming what they had billed as a "moral victory" over their hosts. "Indian run-chase falls flat once again," said a headline in the Hindustan Times, while The Asian Age said: "England tie Indian middle-order in knots". The England team flew out of India on Sunday night for a series of one-day internationals and three Test matches New Zealand. India will now start to prepare for two Tests and five one-day internationals at home to Zimbabwe, who arrive later this month. | |
See also:  06 Apr 01 | India v Australia 26 Oct 01 | India in South Africa Top England in India stories now: Links to more England in India stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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