October 01 Tuesday 2002
Rain has the last laugh as India, Sri Lanka share title

COLOMBO: India and Sri Lanka won their maiden titles as joint winners of the ICC Champions Trophy after rain washed out their replayed final on Monday.

The clash in the prestigious 12-team event looked set for an exciting finish before steady drizzle, followed by thunder and lightning, forced play to be halted and later called off.

India and Sri Lanka also shared the winners purse of $300,000. The match had been forced into Monday's reserve day after Sunday's final, too, was abandoned because of rain. The anti-climax at the end of the 18-day tournament left a sell-out home crowd and millions of Indian fans disappointed.

India were 38 for one in 8.4 overs chasing a modest but challenging target of 223 when players were forced off the field in the day-night game at the Premadasa Stadium. Opener Virender Sehwag had hit 25 off 22 balls, including a stunning six over backward point off paceman Chaminda Vaas, and Sachin Tendulkar was seven not out after opener Dinesh Mongia was out for nought.

Sourav Ganguly's side once again had reason to feel more disappointed after another fighting display by their bowlers had restricted Sri Lanka to 222 for 7. India had restricted the hosts to 244 for 5 and reached 14 for none in two overs when Sunday's play was washed out.

Home captain Sanath Jayasuriya once again won the toss and choose to take strike on a slow pitch used for the second day running. But left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan bowled him off the first ball before the slow bowlers took over to reduce Sri Lanka to 71 for 4 in the 17th over. Mahela Jayawardene top-scored with 77 and Russel Arnold remained 56 not out, the pair reviving the innings with a 118-run sixth wicket.

Jayawardene, who completed his 15th one-day fifty, hit six fours in his 99-ball knock. Arnold faced 101 balls and hit three fours for his 17th fifty. Zaheer finished with 3 for 44 from nine overs.