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ICC Champions Trophy, Colombo: India 271-2 (39.3 overs) beat England 269-7 (50 overs) by eight wickets

A stunning century from Virender Sehwag saw India to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over England in Colombo and a place in the Champions Trophy semi-finals.

Sehwag led a blistering assault that took the game away from England early on in the innings but this time he carried on until India were over the hill and far away.

His 126, a new personal best in one-day internationals, came from only 104 balls, including 21 fours and one six off Andy Caddick.

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In truth, Sehwag and his captain Sourav Ganguly, who made a century of his own to seal the win, were abetted by some poor bowling.

Virender Sehwag hits out
Sehwag hit some spectacular shots

Caddick in particular had a desperate time of it conceding 59 from the seven overs he bowled.

The target of 270 had seemed a challenging one and Sehwag had a let off early on as a flashing edge just eluded a diving Nick Knight at second slip.

Ganguly also enjoyed several slices of luck, but for the most part he was prepared to watch on as Sehwag pushed the score along.

The partnership had reached an imposing 192 before he eventually offered a return catch to Ian Blackwell.

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Ganguly then picked up the mantle, shrugging off the loss of both Sehwag and then Laxman in a suicidal run out.

The loss of his partner appeared to relax the skipper as he unleashed some powerful strokes, completing his own century to take India home with more than 10 overs to spare.

Ian Blackwell hits out
Blackwell impressed in only his second match

England's score was based on a fine maiden half-century from Blackwell.

The Somerset left-hander hit 82 from just 68 balls, striking six fours and three sixes, to reach the landmark for the first time in only his second match for his country.

Together with Alec Stewart (35) he added a crucial 104 for the sixth wicket in just 15 overs which enabled England to reach heights which seemed unlikely at one stage.

England were rocking st seven for two at one stage having lost Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain early on when Ashish Nehra struck form with the new ball.

They needed an assured 37 from Ronnie Irani to get them into the game at all.

There were useful contributions too from Knight (50) and Owais Shah (34) and of India's bowlers only Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh got away with decent economy rates.

England: ME Trescothick, NV Knight, N Hussain (captain), RC Irani, ID Blackwell, OA Shah, AJ Stewart (wkt), DG Cork, AF Giles, AR Caddick, MJ Hoggard.

India: SC Ganguly (captain), V Sehwag, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, R Dravid (wkt), Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, A Nehra.