India 242 for 5 (Dhoni 63, Yuvraj 58) beat Pakistan 239 for 7 (Yousuf 83*, Butt 50) by 5 wickets
India had the best of Pakistan in a lackluster contest on a slightly demanding pitch, restricting them to 239 and then knocking off the runs through a string of contributions from the top order. It was not the most spectacular cricket, but it was sensible from India and perhaps a touch too circumspect from Pakistan, whose batsmen did not do enough, and whose bowlers were committed and disciplined but rarely penetrative.
When Shoaib Malik won the toss and chose to bat it appeared to be a sound decision, given that the pitch was dry, on the slower side, and threatened to break up in the second half. And when Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal got off to a breezy start, it appeared that India would have their work cut out. Akmal square drove crisply for boundaries when he was offered width and Butt used his wrists to guide the ball into gaps with excellent timing.
The fall of Akmal's wicket, however, when he was declared lbw to an Irfan Pathan ball that pitched outside leg, changed the complexion of the innings. Younis Khan was uncomfortable batting on this pitch - with the ball not coming on truly - and grew increasingly disturbed as India's spinners checked the flow of runs.
Soon after reaching a well-paced half-century, Butt did himself no favours when he charged down the pitch after the ball speared off the leading edge towards cover, only to be sent back by his partner and run out. At least while Butt was at the crease runs came from one end, but with Mohammad Yousuf joining Younis the runs just dried up.
The singles came easily enough, with Yousuf knocking the ball away into the leg side with soft hands, but Younis' frustration reached such proportions, especially after sweeps and reverse-sweeps failed, that he holed out to long-on for a 58-ball 25. For a painful 21.2 overs Pakistan could not manufacture a single boundary, and this might have prompted Malik to promote Shahid Afridi up the order.
Even Afridi could not plunder as he would've liked and though he managed a front-foot pull over long-on, his 31 off 32 balls before being smartly stumped as he charged down the pitch to Sachin Tendulkar was a bit short of what Pakistan needed. Malik then added to the pressure, heaving a leg-stump full-toss straight down midwicket's throat.
Fortunately for Pakistan, while wickets fell at one end, Yousuf had crept to his half-century and with about five overs to go took it upon himself to increase the tempo. He paddle swept Pathan fine and then drove RP Singh inside-out over cover. The late charge took Yousuf to an unbeaten 83, off an acceptable 88 balls, and Pakistan to 239 for 7 from 50 overs.
With probing bowling and tight fielding Pakistan might well have given India a serious run for their money chasing 240, but instead they bowled without much purpose and out-did India in the poor fielding standings to let the game slip out of their hands. At no point in the course of the chase were India under serious pressure, and Pakistan were waiting for an India collapse that never came.
Shoaib Akhtar gave Pakistan some hope early on when he trapped Tendulkar in front with a slower ball, with only 14 on the board. But Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir then added 82 for the third wicket to take India towards safety. Neither Ganguly nor Gambhir was in total control at the crease, with some streaky strokes eluding the fielders, but when the opportunity was there to score both batsmen backed their instincts and it paid off.
Ganguly was quick to go after anything that was a bit wide, slanting and angling his bat to get the ball through cover point and third man. Gambhir opened the face of his bat so much that he edged between keeper and slip twice consecutively, but was undeterred. Once the ball lost its hardness and Shoaib gave way to less pacy bowlers, Gambhir knuckled down and cover drove with confidence. His timing and placement were excellent, and the ball went along the ground more often than not.
It was against the run of play that India lost their next two wickets. Ganguly played one down to fine leg and headed for a single that Gambhir did not want, and could not turn around and regain his crease in time. Ganguly had made 39 but looked good for more. Gambhir too should have got more than the 44 he managed, but failed to pick an offbreak from Shahid Afridi and was bowled round his legs.
Then came another partnership, of 105, between India's captain and vice-captain and this all but sealed the deal. Mahendra Singh Dhoni had come out in the mood to give the ball a thrash, sluggish pitch notwithstanding, and he succeeded. There were some streaky boundaries, but for the best part the ball boomed off the middle of the bat and there was not much Pakistan's bowlers could do. He found an excellent ally in Yuvraj Singh, who hit the ball as hard as anyone, and looked to be positive against the spinners and the quick men.
Both Yuvraj and Dhoni reached the half-century mark, and with only 22 needed for victory Pakistan broke the partnership. Yuvraj (58) slog-swept Abdur Rahman, the left-arm spinner, but did not quite get hold of the ball and failed to clear Afridi in the deep. Soon after, Dhoni (63) flashed at Shoaib, who returned to the attack in the 45th over, and India wobbled at the doorstep of victory. Only 15 were needed for victory at that stage, and you wondered why Malik had not re-introduced Shoaib earlier. Robin Uthappa and Pathan knocked off the remaining runs and the five-wicket win gave India a 1-0 lead in this five-match series.
courtesy cricinfo.com
Final Score Card:
Pakistan in India ODI Series [India won by 5 wickets]
India Vs Pakistan,Nehru Stadium, Guwahati,05 NOV 2007
India 195 for 8 (Uthappa 47) beat Australia 193 (Ponting 57, Kartik 6-27) by 2 wickets
An undefeated 52-run stand for the ninth wicket between Zaheer Khan and Murali Kartik helped India sneak to an unlikely two-wicket win in Mumbai. Australia still sealed the series 4-2, but the result meant India had at least reduced the margin of defeat, something that looked almost impossible when India had slumped to 64 for 6. It was also India's first ODI victory chasing against Australia since April 1998.
25 overs India 94 for 6 (Uthappa 30*, Harbhajan 8*) need 100 runs to beat Australia 193 (Ponting 57, Kartik 6-27)
If the afternoon had been about left-arm spin, it was all Australian pace under lights. In conditions where the bat didn't dominate as it had in previous games, India were swiftly plunged into disarray, and facing the prospect of a 5-1 series defeat. Australia's new-ball attack - Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson - swung the ball at high speeds approaching 150 kmph and began India's slide to 94 for 6 at the half-way stage.
Even though the target of 194 wasn't an imposing one, it was imperative that India got a solid start. They didn't, with Johnson inducing diffident edges from both Sourav Ganguly and Dinesh Karthik. Sachin Tendulkar, probably playing his final game at the Wankhede, sparkled briefly, with two glorious cuts for four off Johnson, but the moment he played on against Lee, the writing was clearly legible on the wall.
Lee bowled at fearsome pace but, if anything, India's plight only worsened with the introduction of Nathan Bracken's medium pace. Showing superb control of swing and seam, Bracken had Yuvraj Singh edging behind before slanting one away from Mahendra Singh Dhoni to get the same result.
When Pathan edged to slip off James Hopes - there was no weak link for the Indians to exploit anywhere - thoughts of victory receded into the distance and the cheers as Uthappa spanked two huge sixes rang as India's only claims to batting greatness. At one stage, with the scoreboard showing 64 for 6, even three figures looked unlikely, but Uthappa found an ally in Harbhajan Singh as the relentless Australian march to victory was slowed down.
50 overs Australia 193 (Ponting 57, Kartik 6-27) v India
The last time Murali Kartik played an international game in Mumbai, he was instrumental in India defending a paltry target of 107 in a dead-rubber, dismissing Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn in the same over. The man who captained India to that improbable win, Rahul Dravid, may have been missing today but Kartik was again to the fore as India fought to stave off the embarrassment of a 5-1 series defeat. Ponting was a thorn in their side, with an accomplished half-century, but Kartik's stunning six-wicket haul induced an almighty wobble that ended in Australia being bowled out for 193 in 41.3 overs.
Kartik was on a hat-trick twice and the key moments undoubtedly came in the passage of play when Brad Hodge and Andrew Symonds were dismissed off successive deliveries. Symonds, the outstanding player of the series, came to the crease accompanied by a chorus of boos, and many more jeers and whistles followed him back after he cut a delivery to Sachin Tendulkar at short cover. The previous ball had seen Hodge's Indian nightmare continue, with Kartik angling one across to take the edge to slip.
It was respite that India needed after they had squandered the perfect start. Michael Clarke was plumb first ball, but though Zaheer Khan did little wrong, RP Singh started woefully at the other end, conceding four wides in his opening over.
Adam Gilchrist struggled as the ball moved around, but Ponting was ruthless on the slightest bowling transgressions, driving, flicking off the pads and cutting with precision. India's plight worsened when Zaheer was denied a second wicket as Gilchrist, on 2, edged one toward the slips. Robin Uthappa got his fingertips to it, but couldn't wrap them around the ball.
After a sedate start by his standards, Gilchrist appeared to be finding some touch with two fours in Irfan Pathan's opening over but when he subsequently slashed at one, Harbhajan Singh took a running catch at third man.
With pace not doing the trick, and Sourav Ganguly's mixed bag not helping, Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned to his spinners. And once again, it was the forgotten man of Indian cricket that highlighted his credentials.
The otherwise wayward RP Singh also played his part with the crucial wicket of Ponting, coming round the wicket to induce an edge. Ponting had made 57 and was assured in conditions where the bat was nowhere near as dominant as it had been in earlier games.
If Kartik's first double-whammy put India in charge, the second killed off Australian hopes of a large total. Brad Haddin, dropped moments earlier by Zaheer at deep midwicket, was trapped in front by the arm ball before Brad Hogg and Brett Lee fell to the fourth and fifth balls of the over. Hogg was dubiously given out, caught at forward short leg, while Lee edged one to RP Singh at short gully.
By the time he ended a 22-run cameo from James Hopes, Kartik had the best figures by an Indian against Australia. Only a late burst from Mitchell Johnson pushed Australia closer to 200 but, with this likely to be Sachin Tendulkar's final match at the Wankhede, the Indians were undoubtedly hoping that it would be nowhere near enough. Against Australia, even a consolation win is something. courtesy cricinfo.com
Full Scorecard:
Australia in India ODI Series [India won by 2 wickets]
India Vs Australia,Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai,17 OCT 2007
When MS Dhoni won the toss of 4th ODI against Australia at Chandigarh in India then Dhoni's face was shining to won the match and decided bat first to prove that. And that was the result India won by eight(8) runs after real hard contest against Australia.
India were come back in the game largely by their spinners, Kartik and Harbhajan Singh, balled with maintaining superb line and length as well as got some important wickets of Hayden, Clarke and Hodge. They built the pressure on Hodge by denying him singles which kept Symonds away from the strike. Irfan Pathan was also difficult to get away and RP Singh's return after a miserable start was superb.
Earlier India started their batting quite sensibly not to loosing any wickets early. Though the runs did not came flourishingly but it was the base to go as close as 300 runs. Ganguly finished with 41 and Tendulkar made 79 who was initially looking out of place as the fast men swung the ball at will. He just could not lay bat on ball - Lee was especially threatening - but despite two close lbw shouts and a possible inside edge that was turned down by the umpire, Tendulkar did not give up. And in later Dhoni and Robin Uthappa came home with a bang. Finally they scored 291/4 to through a challenge for Australia.
To chase the target of 291 Australia started with swing of bat to make good use of power play and the did it well enough to chase it and gave Australia a terrific start as they raced to 106 for 1 from 15 overs. Hayden and Symonds both clinched their third consecutive fifty with good knocks. Hayden had built a solid base with 92 at a run a ball but the pressure began to mount when he departed. But Symonds was handling it quite sensibly. When Symonds bowled out by a dream delivery of RP Sing then the game was tougher for Asutralia. Before that Ponting was stumped by a full in length delivery of Pathan, slanting away from Ponting who leans forward to drive. The bat comes outside the line and the ball threads the bat and pad gap. Dhoni gathers and whips the bails off in flash. The line belongs to the umpire and he was out. Ponting stood there for a long time, unhappy at the verdict even as he walked up the stairs to reach the dressing room. It was a decision made by the third umpire.
Thats way India alive in seven match series by trailing 2-1 in four. MS Dhoni was judged as man of the match for his quick, important 50* from just 35 balls. The fifth game at Vadodara on Thursday.
Australia in India ODI Series - 4th ODI India v Australia
2007/08 season
Played at Sector 16 Stadium, Chandigarh, on 8 October 2007 (50-over match)
Result India won by 8 runs
India innings (50 overs maximum)
R
M
B
4s
6s
SR
SC Ganguly
c Gilchrist b Hopes
41
95
59
6
0
69.49
SR Tendulkar
run out (Lee)
79
184
119
7
0
66.38
Yuvraj Singh
c Ponting b Hopes
39
61
55
5
0
70.90
MS Dhoni
not out
50
59
35
5
1
142.85
R Dravid
b Bracken
13
15
14
2
0
92.85
RV Uthappa
not out
30
16
18
6
0
166.66
Extras
(b 1, lb 7, w 31)
39
Total
(4 wickets; 50 overs; 219 mins)
291
(5.82 runs per over)
Fall of wickets1-91 (Ganguly, 19.6 ov), 2-174 (Yuvraj Singh, 35.6 ov), 3-221 (Tendulkar, 41.5 ov), 4-244 (Dravid, 45.5 ov)
Bowling
O
M
R
W
Econ
B Lee
7
1
26
0
3.71
(3w)
NW Bracken
10
0
78
1
7.80
(4w)
MG Johnson
8
0
51
0
6.37
(3w)
JR Hopes
9
0
43
2
4.77
(1w)
A Symonds
7
0
39
0
5.57
(3w)
GB Hogg
9
0
46
0
5.11
(2w)
Australia innings (target: 292 runs from 50 overs)
The young guns of India claimed the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Cup after they beat Pakistan by five runs in a thrilling final on Monday, 24th September 2007.
All-rounder Irfan Pathan and new-ball bowler Rudra Pratap Singh made the main demages for Pakistan and took three wickets each and Pakistan, who started well, tumbled to 152 all out in reply to India's 157 for five.
Just ten days ago India and Pakistan couldn't be separated in Durban. In front of a frenzied crowd at the Wanderers on Monday, they played out perhaps the best final ever seen in a major tournament.
After scrapping hard to get to 157 for 5 India were inspired with the balling and fielding, and Pakistan appeared to be well out of contention with 54 needed from 24 balls and just three wickets in hand. But when Misbah thumped Harbhajan Singh for three sixes and Sohail Tanvir chipped in with a four-ball 12, the improbable became possible.
After huge thought and discussion Dhoni decided to gambled on the inexperienced Joginder Sharma fro the final over from where Pakistan needed 13 runs to win. Starting with wide he was going to make the decision marked as a questionable! And it was became true when the next ball is gone for distance, Six. But with victory in his grasp, his judgement failed him. Moving across his stumps, he went for the scoop down to fine leg. He didn't connect cleanly, and millions on the subcontinent held their breath as Sreesanth came under the ball at short fine leg. When he held it, the stadium erupted.
Opening batsman Imran Nazir had slammed 33 off 14 balls in a flying start for Pakistan but Robin Uthappa ran him out with a direct hit and Pathan claimed the key wickets of Shoaib Malik (8) and Shahid Afridi (0) in his second over to slow their run chase.
Earlier, Opener Gambhir batted through the first 18 overs, however, stroking eight fours and two sixes, and needed just 54 balls for his fluent innings which give India's total respectability. Rohit Sharma scored 30 not out in 16 balls in the closing overs to take India past 150.
Gul took three for 28 in his four overs as India never managed to break free of tight bowling and fielding.
The Final Scorecard:
Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 final between India and Pakistan at the Wanderers here on Monday:
India:
G. Gambhir c Asif b Gul => 75 Yousuf Pathan c Malik b Asif => 15 R. Uthappa c Afridi b Tanvir => 8 Y. Singh c and b Gul => 14 M. Dhoni b Gul => 6 R. Sharma not out => 30 Irfan Pathan not out => 3 Extras: (1lb, 1nb, 4w) => 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Total (for five wickets) => 157(Overs: 20)
Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Yousuf Pathan), 2-40 (Uthappa), 3-103 (Yuvraj), 4-111 (Dhoni), 5-130 (Gambhir).
Mohammad Hafeez c Uthappa b Rudra Pratap => 2 Imran Nazir run out (Uthappa) => 33 Kamran Akmal b Rudra Pratap => 0 Younis Khan c Yousuf Pathan b J. Sharma => 24 Shoaib Malik c R. Sharma b Irfan Pathan => 8 Misbah-ul-Haq c Sreesanth b J. Sharma => 43 Shahid Afridi c Sreesanth b Irfan Pathan => 0 Yasir Arafat b Irfan Pathan => 15 Sohail Tanvir b Sreesanth => 12 Umar Gul lbw b Rudra Pratap => 0 Mohammad Asif not out => 3 Extras: (b1, lb4, w6, nb1) => 12 --------------------------------------------------------------- Total (all out) => 152(Overs: 19.3)
