When determination won

Pakistan had to win and it won. K. C. Vijaya Kumar reports on the host’s victory against India in the semifinal league.

In the city of the original street fighter — Javed Miandad — Pakistan pulled off a victory that would surely have gladdened the heart of Karachi’s legendary cricketer, currently in the United States. Boxed into a must-win corner and greeted with the news of an in-form skipper Shoaib Malik pulling out with dehydration, Pakistan found steely resolve and smooth runs through Younis Khan’s unbeaten 123 to defeat India by eight wickets in a STAR Cricket A sia Cup semifinal league match at the National Stadium.

Pakistan, under stand-in skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, chased India’s 308 with aplomb, scoring 309 for two and winning in 45.3 overs.

The initial salvos were fired by openers Salman Butt (36) and Nasir Jamshed (53 retired hurt) as they tucked into the juicy offerings of Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Irfan Pathan on a flat track. “I told my young openers to play their natural game,” Misbah later said.

Younis (123 not out, 117b, 11x4, 1x6) then stepped on the accelerator and plundered the regular medley of loose deliveries as the Indian seamers messed up their line and length. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla too struggled, delivering a few half-volleys, but managed to bowl Mohammad Yousuf around his legs.

Younis’ fifth ODI hundred had the cavalier spirit all over it as he drove and lofted with the ease of someone belting out his favourite song.

And in his own irrepressible style, Younis, after cutting Praveen to notch up his hundred, did a celebratory two push-up routine much to the amusement of partner Misbah who also cleared the final stretch with an unbeaten 70. Younis and Misbah shared a 144-run partnership.

Prior to the pyrotechnics of Younis, Misbah and Nasir, the evening was dominated by the fiery Sehwag-Gambhir alliance and the virtue of patience that has often allied with skipper M. S. Dhoni in recent times. After he opted to bat, Dhoni found joy in the 88-run partnership off 63 deliveries between Sehwag (49) and Gambhir (35).

However, Gambhir, Sehwag and Raina fell in quick succession before the 13th over and it was left to Dhoni (76, 96b, 4x4) and Rohit Sharma (58) to bolster an innings struggling after Yuvraj’s dismissal. Dhoni and Rohit shared a 112-run fifth-wicket partnership before Irfan Pathan lent some belated urgency in the slog.

Dhoni’s was a workman-like innings with just singles and no frills. Flamboyance was eschewed as Dhoni and Rohit accumulated the runs when the middle overs threatened to turn dry. Dhoni cut Afridi late in the innings for his first four and battled on before fatigue lulled him into a tired shot. Eventually, the 308 for seven in 50 overs that India posted proved inadequate on a day when ‘Pakistan will win’ chants lingered all over in the stands.

The Scores

Asia Cup Super Four: India v Pakistan, National Stadium, Karachi, July 2, 2008.

Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets.

India: G. Gambhir c Afridi b Iftikhar 35, V. Sehwag c Sarfraz b Rauf 49, S. Raina c Salman b Rauf 1, Yuvraj Singh c Sarfraz b Iftikhar 37, M. Dhoni c Sarfraz b Tanvir 76, Rohit Sharma c Rauf b Iftikhar 58, Yusuf Pathan c Nasir b Ajmal 0, Irfan Pathan (not out) 38, Praveen Kumar (not out) 1. Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-8): 13. Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs): 308.

Fall of wickets: 1-88, 2-90, 3-91, 4-129, 5-241, 6-249, 7-290.

Pakistan bowling: Tanvir 10-0-87-1, Rauf 10-0-66-2, Iftikhar 10-1-51-3, Afridi 10-0-52-0, Ajmal 10-0-47-1.

Pakistan: S. Butt (run out) 36, Nasir (retired hurt) 53, Younis Khan (not out) 123, Md. Yousuf b Piyush Chawla 21, Misbah-ul-Haq (not out) 70. Extras (b-1, w-2, nb-3): 6. Total (for two wkts. in 45.3 overs): 309.

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-165.

India bowling: Praveen 8.3-1-61-0, Irfan 10-0-68-0, Ishant 10-0-63-0, Yusuf 4-0-29-0, Chawla 8-0-53-1, Sehwag 5-0-34-0.