Inspired Indians eke out memorable win In a breath-stopping, heart-thumping finish, India pulled off a stunning 10-run win over South Africa at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday night and entered the final of the Champions Trophy. It was a result that had seemed highly improbable when South Africa ended the 37th over at 192-1, chasing 262 for a win. But then came the turning point of the match as opener Herschelle Gibbs was forced to retire with cramps in both hands after a dazzling 116 off 119 balls. The Indian spinners, Harbhajan Singh and later Virender Sehwag, seized the opportunity that Gibbs. departure provided and bowling with great discipline turned the tables on the South Africans. With Jonty Rhodes, Boeta Dippenaar and Mark Boucher all failing and Lance Klusener struggling in vain, Jacques Kallis. classy 97 proved destined for failure. Earlier, Sehwag made 59, Rahul Dravid 49 and Yuvraj Singh 62 as India posted a competitive total of 261 after Sourav Ganguly opted to bat. Sehwag.s fine bowling at the death and Yuvraj.s outstanding catching meant that it was eventually to prove adequate enough to secure a famous win on the day.

Ganguly: We were destined to win After India.s dramatic 10-run victory, skipper Sourav Ganguly claimed that his side was "destined" to win the first Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa at the Premadasa International Stadium on Wednesday night. India looked dead and buried after a record 178-run second wicket stand between Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis. But after Gibbs was forced to leave the field with cramps in both hands, South Africa lost quick wickets and then fell behind the run rate as India's spinners excelled. An emotional Sourav Ganguly said afterwards: "I don't how we won this game. I don't have the words to describe it but it was fantastic. We never gave up and were destined to win. "We thought it was a big total because the ball wasn't coming on to the bat but Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis played well," he continued. "But we got two wickets in one over from Harbhajan Singh which probably turned the game for us." He admitted, though, that Gibbs' hand cramps were a godsend: "We got an opportunity with Gibbs going off the fiel. and we grabbed it." Ganguly reserved special praise for left-armer Zaheer Khan, who conceded just 27 runs from nine overs, and Virender Sehwag, the eventual Man of the Match, who followed a brisk 59 with three wickets at the death. "I thought we did pretty well with the ball," Ganguly observed. "Zaheer (Khan) has been outstanding for the last six months and to go for 27 runs in nine overs on this track was amazing. .And Sehwag can't do anything wrong,. he added, .Perhaps I should have bowled him earlier..

Everything is clicking, says Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar is one man who is confident about India winning the Champions Trophy final. "We're here to win and from day one we came here very determined. We've been playing good cricket and that's what we want to do," Tendulkar told the BBC, "We just want to go out and stick to our basics and do the same things we've been doing for some time." "I think this is one of the best sides I've been part of," Tendulkar observed. "It's a very good combination. Everyone is doing a good job. If the top order fails then the lower-middle order does well. If the bowling has not done all that good then the batting makes up for it. In England when we bowled on some decent tracks the bowlers did an excellent job so on the whole everything is clicking."

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