Failing to live up to the early promise, Africa XI crashed to their third successive loss to surrender the three-match Afro-Asia Cup series 0-3 here at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Sunday.
Forced to chase another daunting target, 332 to be precise, under lights, Africa got off to a desired start with openers AB de Villiers (70, 63b, 7x4, 3x6) and Vusi Sibanda (45, 63b, 5x4, 1x6) piecing together 117 runs in just 110 balls. After successfully wading into a weakened pace attack – Zaheer Khan was injured while there was no communication on the reason behind Dilhara Fernando’s replacement — comprising Mohammad Asif and Mashrafe Mortaza, the Africans failed to sustain the momentum, suffering a 13-run loss.
Africans, at ease against an erratic pace duo, found their adversaries in Bangladeshi left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique, who claimed four for 65, and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who finally had something to cheer about, effecting three crucial dismissals.
Skipper Justin Kemp (86, 76b, 3x4, 7x6) and Shaun Pollock raised great hopes collecting 122 runs off 88 balls during their sixth-wicket stand, but the effort wasn't enough to take the visitors home. Africa ended their innings at 318 for seven.
No luck with coin
Kemp's luck with the coin remained unchanged as he lost the toss for the third time in as many matches. Electing to bat first on a placid surface, Asia XI, despite the top-order tumble, powered to 331 for seven in 50 overs thanks to centuries from Mahela Jayawardene and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Even at his brutal best, Jayawardene wields his willow as would an artist his paint brush. It's as if the Sri Lankan has a fetish for being elegant. On the other hand, you have Mahendra Singh Dhoni, not the most attractive of batsmen, but nonetheless devastatingly effective.
The two played innings of contrasts but they were equally destructive as for the third time in a row, the African XI bowlers suffered at the hands of the Asian batsmen. The two came together at a time when, for the first time in the series, the hosts were seemingly in deep trouble having lost five wickets inside 17 overs. No one can question Jayawardene’s credentials batting under crisis situations, while Dhoni has, in the recent past, has shown a great temperament to wriggle out of difficult situations.
The Indian stumper joined Jayawardene — who didn't take to the field during African chase giving the mantle to Virender Sehwag — when Asia were reeling at 72 for five and when the skipper deserted his partner, a world-record 218 runs had been realised in just 178 balls for sixth wicket. Jayawardene was out after scripting 107 (106b, 9x4, 2x6) while Dhoni remained unbeaten on 139 (97b, 4x15, 5x6).
Barring Peter Ongondo and Morne Morkel to some extent, none of the African bowlers escaped the combined fury of Jayawardene and Dhoni.
The Africans, after dismissing the Asian top half, may have envisaged restricting their rivals to an achievable target, but Jayawardene and Dhoni gave them no such chance. A massive 235 runs came off the last 25 overs and 108 in the last 10 overs. That the next best score in a 300-plus innings was Yuvraj Singh's 31 speaks of the duo’s total domination.
Ongondo impresses
Coming into the third and final of this spectacularly unattended series by the paying public, Africa would have clutched on to any available straw. Having tried almost the same set of bowlers in the previous matches, Kemp brought in Ongondo and the burly medium pacer injected the much-needed life into the attack that no other bowler has been able to do so far. While the rest of the African bowlers’ economy rate read between five and just under 15, Ongondo conceded just 35 runs in his 10-over spell for three prized scalps.
SCORE BOARD
ASIA XI
Sehwag c Kemp b Morkel 8
(8b, 2x4)
J’suriya c Botha b Ongondo 13
(18b, 2x6)
Tharanga c De Villiers b O’do 10
(22b, 1x4)
Yuvraj b Chigumbura 31
(35b, 6x4)
Yousuf c Dippenaar b O’ndo 2
(7b)
J’dene c Botha b Morkel 107
(106b, 9x4, 2x6)
Dhoni (not out) 139
(97b, 15x4, 5x6)
Mortaza c Morkel b C’bura 1
(4b)
Harbhajan b Morkel 4
(2b, 1x4)
Rafique (not out) 0
(3b)
Extras (B-4, LB-2, W-8, NB-2) 16
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 331
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Sehwag), 2-30 (Jayasuriya), 3-45 (Tharanga), 4-51 (Yousuf), 5-72 (Yuvraj), 6-290 (Jayawardene), 7-309 (Mortaza), 8-315 (Harbhajan). 
Bowling: Morne Morkel 10-0-50-3 (nb-2), Peter Ongondo 10-2-35-3 (w-2), Elton Chigumbura 10-0-77-2, Justin Kemp 2-0-9-0, Johan Botha 10-1-49-0, Tikolo 4-0-59-0 (w-1), Sibanda 2-0-24-0, De Villiers 2-0-22-0 (w-1).
Scoring pattern: 5 overs: 25/1, 10: 47/3, 15: 66/4, 20: 83/5, 25: 101/5, 30: 144/5, 35: 168/5, 40: 223/5, 45: 270/5, end of innings: 331/8 in 50 overs.  
Runs during: Power Play 1: 1-10 overs: 47/3, Power Play 2: 11-15 overs: 19/1, Power Play 3: 16-20 overs: 17/1.
AFRICA XI
De Villiers c Mortaza b Rafique 70
(63b, 7x4, 3x6)
Sibanda st Dhoni b Rafique 45
(63b, 5x4, 1x6)
Dippenaar c Yuvraj b Rafique 0
(1b)
Tikolo st Dhoni b Harbhajan 11
(25b, 1x4)
Kemp b Rafique 86
(76b, 3x4, 7x6)
Boucher st Dhoni b Harbhajan 7
(10b)
Pollock (not out) 58
(49b, 3x4, 2x6) 
Chigumbura b Harbhajan 4
(6b)
Botha (not out) 18
(9b, 3x4)
Extras (LB-9, W-9, NB-1) 19
Total (for 7 wkts, 50 overs) 318
Fall of wickets: 1-117 (De Villiers), 2-117 (Dippenar), 3-138 (Sibanda), 4-149 (Tikolo), 5-159 (Boucher), 6-281 (Kemp), 7-290 (Chigumbura).
Bowling: Asif 10-1-62-0 (w-6, nb-1), Mortaza 9-1-51-0 (w-1), Rafique 10-0-65-4 (w-1), Jayasuriya 10-0-73-0, Harbhajan 10-0-48-3 (w-1), Yuvraj 1-0-10-0.
Scoring pattern: 5 overs: 29/0, 10: 66/0, 15: 92/0, 20: 128/2, 25: 142/3, 30: 156/4, 35: 181/5, 40: 224/5, 45: 273/5, end of innings: 318/8.  
Runs during: Power Play 1: 1-10: 66/0, Power Play 2: 11-15: 26/0, Power Play 3: 20-24: 20/1.