INDIA were sent crashing out of the Champions Trophy despite a resounding seven-wicket win over West Indies.

Australia’s narrow two-wicket win over Pakistan sealed India’s fate as they finished third in Group A.

Asked to bat on an erratic Johannesburg pitch, West Indies were dismissed for 129 as Praveen Kumar (3-22) and Ashish Nehra (3-31) utilised the conditions.

Quick wickets saw India reduced to 12-2 before Virat Kohli (78) and Dinesh Karthik (34) guided them to safety.

But the subdued atmosphere at the Wanderers encapsulated India’s dissatisfaction having come so close to reaching the semi-finals, only for Australia to claim a tense win at Centurion a few hours earlier.

India required arch rivals Pakistan to beat the defending champions as well as beat a below-strength West Indies side by a sizeable margin with a favourable run-rate.

But despite a stirring Pakistan fightback, Australia sneaked a last-ball bye to subject India to their second successive exit from a major tournament in four months.

India were dealt a significant setback before the start of the match when star batsman Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out because of food poisoning, while fast bowler Ishant Sharma made way for Abhishek Nayar.

The all-rounder was only required to bowl three overs as seamers Kumar and Nehra tore into West Indies, reducing the top order to 31-4 inside 11 overs after Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field on yet another erratic, seam-friendly Wanderers pitch.

A sixth-wicket rally between David Bernard (22) and Darren Sammy (23) took West Indies closer to three figures, but their innings was over in the 36th over when Gavin Tonge chipped an easy catch for Kumar.

India’s response began badly as Gautam Gambhir played on to his stumps before Rahul Dravid was run-out for four.

But a steady – albeit slow – third-wicket stand of 92 between Kohli and Karthik ensured India suffered no further hiccups on the way to their first – and only – victory of the competition.

Kohli enhanced his claims for further one-day honours with a composed 104-ball knock, featuring nine boundaries and two sixes. (BBC Sport)
WEST INDIES innings
A. Fletcher c Dravid b Kumar 0
K. Powell c wkp. Dhoni b Nehra 5
D. Smith c wkp. Dhoni b Nehra 21
T. Dowlin b Dhoni 14
F. Reifer c Karthik b Kumar 1
D. Bernard c Dravid b Mishra 22
D. Sammy c Mishra b Nehra 23
R. Crandon b Harbhajan Singh 5
N. Miller not out 17
K. Roach c Gambhir b Harbhajan Singh 4
G. Tonge c&b Kumar 5
Extras: (lb-4, w-7, nb-1) 12
Total: (all out, 36 overs) 129
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-26, 3-27, 4-31, 5-57, 6-89, 7-99, 8-1026), 9-122.
Bowling: Kumar 9-3-22-3 (w-2), Nehra 8-1-31-3 (w-2), Nayar 3-0-17-0 (nb-1, w-1), Dhoni 2-0-14-1 (w-1), Harbhajan Singh 8-2-14-2, Mishra 6-0-27-1 (w-1).

INDIA innings
D. Karthik c Dowlin b Tonge 34
G. Gambhir b Roach 6
R. Dravid run-out (Bernard) 4
V. Kohli not out 79
A Nayar not out 0
Extras: (w-3, nb-4) 7
Total: (3 wickets, 32.1 overs) 130
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-12, 3-104.
Bowling: Roach 6-1-27-1 (nb-3), Tonge 10-0-36-1 (w-1), Sammy 10-1-25-0, Bernard 3-0-22-0 (nb-1, w-2), Miller 3.1-0-20-0.
Points: India 2, West Indies 0