At Kuala Lumpur, September 14, 2006 (day/night). West Indies won by 29 runs (D/L method).
West Indies 5 pts. Toss: India.
Sachin Tendulkar built a fine century - his 40th in one-day internationals - in his first long
innings since elbow and shoulder problems in February. His unbeaten 141 was not enough for
victory, as West Indies made another hurricane start, and had fortuitously just completed the
minimum 20 overs when rain brought Duckworth/Lewis into the equation. The high run-rates were
achieved despite the presence of a dent on a good length at one end, caused when a roller sank
into the partially prepared surface some days before the tournament. It was more of a problem
for the right-handers, and contributed to the dismissals of Dravid, Sehwag and Dhoni, all defeated
by deliveries which kept low. But Tendulkar - dropped in the second over when Baugh dived for
a catch off Edwards that was headed for Gayle at slip - rose above the imperfections to strike 13
fours and five sixes, and later said he would remember it as a "special" hundred because he had
to overcome the pitch and his injuries. India's bowlers were alarmingly loose in the early overs,
and the batsmen took advantage before the rain.
Man of the Match: S. R. Tendulkar.