 Pakistan beat India in Tri-Series final
14th Jun 2008 23:30 IST
Agencies
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his teammates failed to climb the run-mountain as Pakistan shoved a 25-run defeat down India's throat to lift the tri-series title at Mirpur in Dhaka tonight.
Despite dominating the tournament with characteristic ruthlessness, the Indians failed when it mattered most and choked in the final to allow an under-pressure Pakistan avenge their league match defeat and run away with the silverware.
After twin tons by Salman Butt (129 retired hurt) and Younis Khan (108) propelled Pakistan to 315/3, India faltered early in their chase and eventually folded for 290 in 48.2 overs.
Dhoni (64 off 59 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (59 off 56 balls) tried their best but their batting colleagues failed to convert the starts.
A strong start was pre-requisite for such a mammoth chase and with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (40 off 33 balls) in red hot form so far, India expected another solid foundation from the openers.
But law of averages finally caught up with Sehwag, who scratched around for his two runs before giving Shoaib Malik a simple catch off Sohail Tanvir at mid-off in the second over.
Rohit Sharma (24) joined Gambhir in the middle and kept India in the hunt with some fluent stroke-play. The duo seemed to have steadied the ship when Umar Gul came up with a two-wicket burst, removing both in successive overs.
Rohit's fluffed pull found substitute Nasir Jamshed at deep backward square leg, while Gambhir cut it to backward point to the same substitute fielder to leave India reeling at 79/3 inside 13 overs.
Yusuf Pathan too could not convert and threw away his wicket after a run-a-ball 25, as did Suresh Raina (24) after the left-hander had put on 73 runs with Yuvraj.
As long as Yuvraj was in the middle, India seemed right on course but Shahid Afridi had other ideas and he snared the left-hander in the 32nd over to jolt India. Yuvraj's 59-ball 56 included five boundaries, besides a six.
Dhoni and Irfan Pathan (28) kept India afloat for some more time but at the end of the day, it was simply not enough.
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