Tendulkar is caught round the corner (Getty Images)

By Richard Gibson, PA Sport, Cape Town

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Sourav Ganguly's unbeaten century averted the biggest shock so far in this World Cup as India defeated Kenya by six wickets in a day-night Super Six contest at Newlands.

Kenya - needing a solitary second-stage victory from three attempts to progress to the semi-finals - appeared well set to complete the feat as India slumped to 24 for three, chasing 226 for victory.

The Kenyans - who qualified from Pool B by virtue of New Zealand's forfeit of their fixture in Nairobi and wins over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Canada - might have added a greater scalp.

Kenya were dragged to the brink of success by some worthy swing bowling from Thomas Odoyo and Martin Suji, backed by creditable ground fielding and catching.

Virender Sehwag was drawn into a drive by a full-length Odoyo delivery, and Steve Tikolo held the catch to his left at second slip.

That second-over dismissal was followed by the prize wicket of Sachin Tendulkar, who tucked Martin Suji off his hips to square leg where Tony Suji hauled in a diving catch to his right.

The fall of Tendulkar excited the 17,500 crowd drawn to the second Super Six contest, and the neutrals' noise increased when Mohammad Kaif was adjudged lbw to Odoyo by English umpire Peter Willey despite an inside edge.

Ganguly made sure the back door was locked, however, in company with the reliable Rahul Dravid.

The Indian captain was the aggressor-in-chief, punching boundaries either side of the wicket off the back foot to maintain the scoring rate.

When Dravid prodded a leading edge back to leg-spinner Collins Obuya, however, India were still under pressure - and Ganguly shook his head as Yuvraj Singh walked to the middle.

Soon afterwards came a crucial moment in the contest when Yuvraj square-cut at the wrist spinner and wicketkeeper Kennedy Obuya claimed an apparent catch behind only for Willey to answer in the negative.

Once in, Yuvraj released his powerful forearms to whizz boundaries through the off side - his half-century arriving from 57 balls.

Yet it was the calm nature of Ganguly's three-hour stay at the crease which was most telling.

The crucial over, the 40th, was delivered by Collins Obuya and conceded 16.

Ganguly ushered his team towards their target in style with a straight six off Maurice Odumbe's off spin, having reached his half-century with a pull over the rope at midwicket.

From his 117th delivery Ganguly completed his 21st one-day international hundred - only team-mate Tendulkar has more - moments before Yuvraj hit the winning run.

In all their unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 118 came at better than even time and delivered victory with 13 balls to spare.

Both Kenya's wins in their previous 11 meetings with India came under lights, the latter of the two here in South Africa in October 2001.

As in Port Elizabeth in that 70-run success, Kenyan captain Tikolo won the toss and chose to make first use of a flat Cape Town strip.

Kennedy Obuya made a half-century at St George's Park, with Ravindu Shah and Odoyo also contributing 50s - and the same trio provided the backbone of the innings today.

Kenya's impressive fielding contrasted sharply to a sloppy performance by India; four straightforward chances were missed in a generally slipshod display.

Three lives were afforded to Obuya - Harbhajan Singh failing to lay a hand on a spooned chance to square leg, Kaif fluffing at cover, both inside the first 11 overs, and Dinesh Mongia providing another let-off on the midwicket boundary.

Fellow opener Shah, who shared 75 for the first wicket, was spilled at slip by Mongia the ball after Harbhajan's misjudgment as luckless left-armer Ashish Nehra toiled in vain.

Obuya's charmed innings of 79 ended when Harbhajan nipped the top of off-stump. But the platform had been laid for middle-order duo Odoyo and Maurice Odumbe, whose undefeated 34 came from only 24 deliveries, to help add 102 from the last 15 overs.

Initially circumspect in their bid to conserve wickets, the Kenyans were provided with impetus by Obuya.

He lifted Zaheer Khan over wide long-off for six shortly before a mix-up handed India an unwarranted breakthrough; Obuya jabbed into the leg side and initially set off before changing his mind, Shah left stranded and fuming by Zaheer's direct hit at the non-striker's end.

But Obuya ensured the impending loss of Tikolo did not disturb the momentum of the innings, sharing 76 with Odoyo for the third wicket and reaching his half-century from 100 balls.

Another smite down the ground into the stands, off Mongia's left-arm spin, began the final flurry - and clever running between the wickets complemented some aggressive strokeplay.

From 24 for three in the 10th over, however, captain Sourav Ganguly found a freedom of stroke to counter the early dominance the ball as India - batting second under lights - were coming to terms with news that their request to have the Durban semi-final switched to a daytime encounter had been unsuccessful.

Punching off the back foot either side of the wicket, Ganguly (35 not out) struck a flurry of boundaries to provide impetus to an ongoing fourth-wicket stand of 45 with Rahul Dravid, who was unbeaten on 18.

Kenya's impressive fielding contrasted sharply to a sloppy performance by India; four straightforward chances were missed in a generally slipshod display.

Three lives were afforded to opener Kennedy Otieno - Harbhajan Singh failing to lay a hand on a spooned chance to square leg, Kaif fluffing at cover, both inside the first 11 overs and Dinesh Mongia also making a hash on the midwicket boundary.

Fellow opener Ravindu Shah, who shared 75 for the first wicket, was spilled at slip by Mongia the ball after Harbhajan's misjudgment as luckless left-armer Ashish Nehra toiled in vain.

Otieno's charmed innings of 79 ended when Harbhajan nipped the top of off-stump, but the platform had been laid for middle-order duo Odoyo and Maurice Odumbe to help add 102 from the last 15 overs.