Cricket: We must improve bowling at the death, says Gambhir

India register thrilling five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in 3rd ODI.

India opener Gautam Gambhir has asked the team’s bowlers to step up their game and improve their show in the final overs of a One-Day International (ODI) if they want to compete consistently, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Gambhir cracked his 11th hundred and Suresh Raina hit a brisk 65 not out to power India to a thrilling five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third ODI in Colombo as the tourists took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

“We didn’t bowl well in the last 10 overs,” said Gambhir. “You can’t afford to give 95-odd runs, when they have literally two new batsmen at the crease. Sometimes when you give 60-70 that is still tolerable, but 95-[odd is] too many runs when the [batting] Powerplay is over.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2012.