As expected, the big four — India and Pakistan from Group B and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Group A — secured their berths in the semifinal league with minimum fuss. K. C. Vijaya Kumar reports.
The STAR Cricket Asia Cup’s preliminary Group A and Group B matches, in Lahore and Karachi respectively from June 24 to 26, yielded six centuries. The matches went according to form book as minnows UAE and Hong Kong crashed out with inevitable defeats.
As expected, the big four — India and Pakistan from Group B and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Group A — secured their berths in the semifinal league with minimum fuss. With the probable boycott of the Champions Trophy later here by Australia and England hogging media space, the tournament found its voice and tenor only through the face-off between India and Pakistan at Karachi’s National Stadium on June 26.
The crowds thronged the stands though the odd gallery was left vacant for security reasons. And India, touted as the favourite, defeated Pakistan by six wickets. A comprehensive victory fashioned in 42.1 overs, with Virender Sehwag’s 119 being the cornerstone while chasing Pakistan’s 299, eased India into the next phase. In the process, the team also carried forward the two points.
Sehwag’s breezy innings fashioned on instinct and clean strikes on either side of the wicket also had its impish streak as he reverse swept twice. Suresh Raina (84) too joined in the act and the southpaw’s increasing confidence was evident while he shimmed down the pitch and hoisted Iftikhar with ease.
Under the circumstances, Shoaib Malik’s 125 earlier in the day lost its significance. And in a testy post-match press conference, Malik’s remarks about selectors having the final say in the composition of the team led to the Pakistan skipper being grilled by the local media.
Earlier both India and Pakistan snuffed out Hong Kong though left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed had his moments. For India, the 256-run victory over Hong Kong was set up by Raina’s maiden ODI hundred — 101 — and skipper M. S. Dhoni’s unbeaten 109. The duo built upon the initial dash of the Sehwag-Gambhir combine and increased the tempo in the final stretch.
Raina’s innings, full of silken strokes, also had a steely resonance to it. His maiden hundred in his 40th ODI is something that will always warm the 21-year old’s heart.
Meanwhile Pakistan, after stumbling against Nadeem Ahmed, a Multan lad plying his wares for Hong Kong, recovered to score 288 and bundled out the visiting team for 133. Zain Abbas was unable to extend his brief stint and retired hurt with cramps.
In Group A, in Lahore, skipper Md. Ashraful’s 109 helped Bangladesh post 300 and UAE, despite Khurram Khan’s efforts, fell short by 96 runs.
Later Sri Lanka punctured the Bangladesh bubble with Kumar Sangakkara’s 101 paving the way for the Islanders’ 231-run victory. Mahela Jayawardene’s men then defeated UAE by 142 runs with the quirky spinner, B. A. W. Mendis, grabbing five wickets. This was the lone bowling highlight in the tournament’s initial phase.
The spectre of injuries also undid a few bowlers as Irfan Pathan missed the early matches owing to a side strain while Pakistan’s Umar Gul clutched his ribs and virtually walked out of the tournament after bowling eight deliveries against India. Gul has been advised rest for two weeks and his absence is an advantage for both India and the defending champion Sri Lanka in the final stretch of the tournament.
The ninth edition of the Asia Cup may have hardly caught the public’s imagination but the enduring vignette of the first phase is the assurance of Dhoni and Co. despite looking flat on the field against Pakistan.
While the local media has been very critical of Shoaib Malik, Pakistan seems to be low on ammunition with the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and now Gul.
Despite braving the odd political turbulence over the years, the Asia Cup’s popularity appears to be on the wane. The Asian Cricket Council chairman, Ashraful Haq, has said that the tournament might become a Twenty20 event in future.
THE SCORESGROUP A (LAHORE)June 24: Bangladesh 300 for eight in 50 overs (Md. Ashraful 109, Raqibul Hasan 83, Tamim Iqbal 40) bt UAE 204 in 45.4 overs (Khurram Khan 78, Arshad Ali 41).
June 25: Sri Lanka 357 for nine in 50 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 101, Kapugedara 74, S. Jayasuriya 72) bt Bangladesh 226 for seven in 50 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 44, Muralitharan two for 37).
June 26: Sri Lanka 290 for nine in 50 overs (M. L. Udawatte 67, Jayawardene 61, Weeraratne 40) bt UAE 148 in 36.3 overs (Amjad Ali 77, Mendis five for 22).
GROUP B (KARACHI)June 24: Pakistan 288 for nine in 50 overs (Younis Khan 67, Fawad Alam 63 n.o., Sohail Tanvir 59, Nadeem Ahmed four for 51) bt Hong Kong 133 for nine in 37.2 overs (Sohail Tanvir two for 20).
June 25: India 374 for four in 50 overs (M. S. Dhoni 109 n.o., S. Raina 101, G. Gambhir 51, V. Sehwag 78) bt Hong Kong 118 in 36.5 overs (Piyush four for 23).
June 26: Pakistan 299 for four in 50 overs (Shoaib Malik 125 rtd hurt, Younis Khan 59) lost to India 301 for four in 42.1 overs (Sehwag 119, Raina 84, Yuvraj 48).
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