 Pakistan beat India to stay afloat in Asia Cup
3rd Jul 2008 08:01 IST
Agencies
Earlier opting to bat first, India rode on a breezy start and half centuries from Dhoni and Rohit to go past the 300-mark.
Dhoni walked out in the middle with India struggling on 91, having lost three quick wickets in 10 balls, and proceeded to play a sensible and patient knock of 76 before falling in the penultimate over.
A fifth wicket stand of 112 from 139 balls by Dhoni and Rohit kept India going after they had slumped to 129/4 despite a breezy opening stand of 88 between Gautam Gambhir (35) and Sehwag.
In the final overs, Irfan Pathan, playing his first game of the tournament, struck a breezy unbeaten 38 from 25 balls to push the total beyond 300.
Both the Indian openers were in terrific form, pouncing on the loose balls on the true National Stadium pitch as Pakistan without their regular captain Shoaib Malik, wilted a bit.
Gambhir went after hitting four boundaries when he drove hard at a full ball from Rao Iftikhar and was caught by Shahid Afridi in the covers.
In the next over, Sehwag, who had batted beautifully for his 49 from 33 balls with six fours and two sixes, perished as keeper Sarfraz Ahmed took a fine low catch to give Abdul Rauf a well-deserved wicket. Five balls later, in-form Suresh Raina (1) hooked Rauf straight to Butt at deep square leg.
Yuvraj Singh (37) was his usual confident self, playing some stunning straight drives and swinging Sohail Tanvir to mid-wicket for a six before he was out, leaving it to Dhoni and Rohit to steady the ship. |
