Brief Score:
India: 260 for nine in 50 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 85, Virender Sehwag 38, Wahab Riaz 5/46).
Earlier, Sehwag got India off to a rampant start against Pakistan as he hit Umar Gul for five boundaries in the pacer’s second over and also brought up his 1000 runs against Pakistan
He was claimed at a score of 25 runs by the wrecker-in-charge for Pakistan, Wahab Riaz, who was just a wicket away from a rich five-wicket haul in the most crucial game of his life.
But Shahid Afridi’s decision to bring on left-armer Wahab Riaz into the attack brought immediate result as the quickie took out a dangerous Sehwag after the Indian opener had made a brisk 38 runs of 25 balls.
Sehwag immediately called for a review of Simon Taufel’s decision, but it remained unsuccessful.
On the other end, Sachin looked pretty assured and took India to 73/1 in 10 overs, after which two deliveries stopped India’s heart.
Sachin looked out for all money on an lbw appeal by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal but the master, after consulting Gautam Gambhir, took a review which turned out to be successfull.
But off the very next ball, Kamran Akmal’s smart glovework seemed to have caught Sachin out of his ground but once again the TV umpire gave it not out as Sachin seemed to have got his toe back just in the knick of time.
Thereafter, Sachin and Gambhir buckled down to bring up their 50-run partnership that helped India cross the 100-run mark.
Mohammad Hafeez was pressed into service by Afridi in the bowling powerplay where the Pakistani spinners pulled back Indian scoring giving away just 26 runs in overs 11-15.
After putting a lid on scoring, Hafeez drew Gambhir out of his crease to get him stumped and give Pakistan their second wicket. Gambhir made 27.
Gambhir’s wicket was shortly followed by another life for Tendulkar, when Younis Khan dropped an easy chance at short cover off Afridi.
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal(w), Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi(c), Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
India (Playing XI): Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni(w/c), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra
