 A well compiled innings from Rohit Sharma (58 runs of 71 balls) and M.S.Dhoni (76 runs of 96 balls) guide their team to reach a formidable total of 308/7 in their 50 overs. Now Pakistan needs some miracle from their batsman to achieve the target of 309 runs. Fist time in the tournament Indian middle order batsman has been tested by the Pakistan’s pace bowlers as they bowled superbly after the end of first power play overs. Indian openers gave their team once again a rollicking start as duo Virendra Sehwag (49 runs of 33 balls) and Gautam Gambhir (35 runs of 32 balls) went on to put 88 runs in just 63 balls for the first wicket. However Iftikhar Anjum first removed Gautam Gambhir in the 11th over and then Abdur Rauf playing his 2nd ODI picked up two crucial wickets of dangerous looking V.Sehwag and S.Raina in the very next over to leave India tattering from 88/0 to 91/3 in the 12th over. Yuvraj Singh and M.S.Dhoni tried hard to re-establish the Indian innings but Yuvraj Singh after playing little cameo of 37 runs of 32 balls departed also as he was caught brilliantly by Sarfaraz Ahmed on the bowling of I.Anjum. But it was Rohit Sharma and M.S.Dhoni who guided his team from out of danger as the duo put on 112 runs from 139 balls to bring the Indian inning back on track. When the partnership looks to hurt Pakistan badly the Rohit Sharma was picked by Iftikhar Anjum at the right time in the 42nd over when he looked to cut loose. But it was Irfan Pathan (28 runs of 25 balls) and M.S.Dhoni who played some superb shots to guide their team to a total which will eventually challenge any team on any surface. All in all it was fine bowling performance by the new faces likes of A.Rauf (2/66), I.Anjum (3/51) and S.Ajmal (1/47) but the bowlers who now days known as leader of Paksitani’s bowling attack S.Tanvir was hammered most by the Indian batsman. He conceded 87 runs in his quota of 10 overs by picking up just one wickets of Indian captain which was one of the worst performances of his career. Match Summary India– 308/7 in 50 Overs M.S.Dhoni- 76 R.Sharma – 58 I.Anjum– 10-1-51-3 A.Rauf– 10-0-66-2 Final Playing XI for both the teams India: G.Gambhir, V.Sehwag, Y.Singh, M.S.Dhoni (Captain), S.Raina, R.Sharma, Y.Pathan, I.Sharma, P.Chawla, P.Kumar, I.Pathan. Pakistan: N.Jamshed, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (Captain), Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, A.Rauf, Sarfraz Ahmed (WK), Iftikhar Anjum, S.Tanveer, S.Ajmal. |
