Bhupathi beat Wilkinson, sent in place of Greg Rusedski who defeated Leander Paes in the opening singles on Friday, in straight sets 6-3 6-4 to narrow India's margin of defeat.

Earlier, Paes lost the first reverse singles today to Tim Henman 6-7 (3-7) 2-6 6-7 (5-7).

Yesterday Bhupathi and Paes had won their doubles against Tim Henman and Neil Broad 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to give India their first points in the tie and bring it back into reckoning after losing both their singles matches on the opening day.

But Henman doused any hopes India nurtured of bouncing back when he successfully quelled the fight of a tired Leander Paes in straight sets to clinch the first reverse singles.

The victory, that fetched them an unassailable 3-1 lead, pulled Britain back into the elite WorldGroup.

Henman, the top-ranked Briton, got better as the match progressed against a limping and error-prone Paes in a match lasting two hours and five minutes to enable Britain regain their place in the elite 16-team World Group after a gap of six years.

Paes, who brought India back into reckoning by winning the doubles yesterday with Mahesh Bhupathi, looked visibly worn out by the strain and could not raise his game once the first set tie-breaker slipped away from him.

India, who regained their World Group place last in 1995 with a superb 3-2 win over Croatia at home inspired by Paes's Cup heroics, will now have to come through the Asian Zone qualifiers while Britain regain the spot they lost when India thrashed them 4-1 in Delhi in 1992 to consign them to the zonals since then.

Other Results

World Group semis: At Stocholm Sweden 4 bt Spain 1 (Jonas Bjorkman bt Alex Corretja 6-3 7-5 6-7 (5/7) 6-3; Thomas Johansson bt Carlos Moya 7-5 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (8/6); Jonas Bjorkman/Nickolas Kulti btJavier Sanchez/Julian Alonso 6-2 6-2 6-2; Jonas Bjorkman bt Carlos Moya 6-2 7-5; Thomas Johansson lost to Julian Alonso 1-6 6-7 (7-3)

US 0 Italy 3 (Milwaukee): Andrea Gaudenzi bt Jan-Michael Gambill 6-2 0-6 7-6 (7/0) 7-6 (7/4); Davide Sanguinetti bt Todd Martin 7-6 (7/0) 6-3 7-6 (10/8); Andrea Gaudenzi/Diego Nargiso bt Todd Martin/Justin Gimelstob 6-4 7-6 (7/3) 5-7 2-6 6-3)

World Group qualifying rounds: Australia 3 Uzbekistan 0; Czech Republic 3 South Africa 0; Brazil 3 Romania 0; Israel 0 France 3; Netherlands 3 Ecuador 0; Japan 0 Russia 3; Argentina 1 Slovak Rep 1; Euro/African Zone

Group One play-offs: Norway 1 Croatia 2; Austria 3 Denmark 0; American Zone Group One play-off: Colombia 2 Mexico 1

American Zone Group II final: Uruguay 1 Venezuela 1; Euro/African Zone Group Two 3rd rd: Ivory Coast 0 Belarus 3