India won CB Series, beat Australia in the 2nd Final at Gabba

In a thrilling match, the 2nd final of Commonwealth Bank (CB) Series, India survived the final hurdle and fightback against Australia to win a thrilling ODI by nine runs and claim the series 2-0.

Irfan Pathan took two wickets in the final over with Australia needing 13 to win, after a half-century from James Hopes had inspired the hosts' fightback.

Chasing 259 after Sachin Tendulkar posted a classy 91, Australia struggled to recover from the loss of Adam Gilchrist, who scored two in his last ever international innings, and skipper Ricky Ponting for one.

Matthew Hayden (55) and the middle order provided some resistance to set up a nail biting finish but the India bowlers skittle the tail to clinch victory.

Twenty three years after India's last significant limited-overs title in Australia, Sachin Tendulkar helped script another memorable chapter with an innings of skill and determination. There was to be no repeat of his twin centuries against Australia in 1998, but his 91 set up a total which, backed by Praveen Kumar's subtle-swinging accuracy, proved nine runs too much for Australia.

India failed a higher total after Tendulkar's innings, Yuvraj Singh's 38 and 36 from Mahendra Singh Dhoni had set the platform. A lower order collapse prevented a more daunting total but in reply, Australia made a nervous start and lost Gilchrist in the first over.

Praveen Kumar once again put a brilliant perfomance took 4 wickets well supported by Harbhajan Singh.

Match Summary:

India - 258/9 in 45.5 overs.

Australia - 249 All Out in 50 overs.

Result - India won by 9 runs .

Man of the Match - Praveen Kumar (India)

Man of the Series - Nathan Bracken (Australia)

Ind Vs Aus 2nd Final of CB Series Live Score - India elected to bat

India have won the toss and elected to bat in the 2nd final of CB Series at Brisbane Cricket Ground on Tuesday, 4th March 2oo8. Ishant Sharma is out with a finger injury that he had sustained in Sydney. S Sreesanth comes into the side in his place.

Australia also have made one change, bringing in Stuart Clark in place of Brad Hogg.

India looking forward to seek a happy ending to a bitter tour by clinching their first-ever tri-series title in Australia as they go into the second of the best-of-three finals of Commonwealth Bank (CB) Series against the world champions.

Australia is in danger of losing a tri-series that has been so important to the country over the past 29 years. It may be a last match for dynamic wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist and spinner Brad Hogg retiring from international will be a sad ending for them. By looking the current form of Australian team, an early and empty-handed exit would not be unexpected.

While Australia are low, India are on a massive high. The young team accepted many handshakes from local and Indian well wishers during their travel from Sydney to Brisbane on Monday and they were relaxed by their success. Tendulkar in his last tour of Down Under scored a century in the 1st final at Sydney, the environment in Indian dressing room is much happier than Australians.

Only three times have Australia lost the opening game of the home finals and come back to take a three-match series - twice against South Africa in the 1990s and once in 2005-06 against Sri Lanka.

Ishant Sharma (finger) and Tendulkar (groin) have nagging concerns - the batsman's injury has been troubling him for a while - but both are confident of playing.

India's Playing Eleven:

Mahinndar Singh Dhoni (Captain,W/K), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Shreeshant, Piyush Chawla.

Australia's Playing Eleven:

Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist(WK), Matthew Hayden, James Hopes, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Brett Lee.