The Hindu : Sport : Pakistan rides on Younis’s century

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 10, 2007
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Sport

Sport

Pakistan rides on Younis’s century

Nandita Sridhar

Tendulkar’s tryst with dismissals in the 90s continues

Younis involved in a 102-run stand with Misbah
Tendulkar-Gambhir add 173 for the second wicket

— Photo: AP

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Despite a desperate attempt, Yuvraj Singh could not hold on to this offering from Shahid Afridi.

Mohali: Younis Khan’s responsible century took the second ODI at Mohali to a thrilling climax. Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir were in the middle when Pakistan won the match by four wickets and levelled the series 1-1 on Thursday.

Prior to that, Sachin Tendulkar fell in the 90s for the 15th time in ODIs, and became the first man to be dismissed for 99 thrice in ODIs. Pakistan on its part completed its highest successful chase in ODIs.

Younis walked in when the required rate was climbing, and took a while to play his strokes. He was involved in a 69-run partnership with Shoaib Malik and a 102-run stand with Misbah-ul-Haq. With the required rate touching 10, these partnerships were crucial in taking Pakistan towards the target.

The sweep-shot

Younis deployed the sweep-shot to good effect to score the majority of his runs. Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh were smashed for sixes and ushered in the first signs that the target might be overhauled. Misbah’s ball-striking under pressure was commendable. He squeezed in the singles, but was equally adept at scoring the pressure-relieving boundary.

The shot that won India the T20 title brought his downfall again, but Afridi wiped out the target with just a ball to spare.

Inauspicious start

The Indian innings, after Indian captain M.S. Dhoni’s decision to bat, started inauspiciously with Sourav Ganguly dragging one off Shoaib Akhtar to the stumps. Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir batted superbly putting on 173 for the second wicket.

Tendulkar started off unconvincingly, after Pakistani pacers Akhtar and Umar Gul had some initial assistance. Tendulkar’s shots found the fielders upfront, but the placement was spot-on once Sohail Tanvir and Iftikhar Anjum were brought in. The back-foot drive off Umar Gul in the fifth was a sign of things to come.

Authoritative batting

What followed was a period of authoritative batting by Tendulkar and Gambhir, with the former particularly good with the inside-out shots. Edging Umar Gul to Akmal was a tame end to some sublime batting. India struggled thereafter after some quick wickets, but Harbhajan Singh’s hitting in the end took the hosts past 300.

“We should have bowled a little better,” said captain Dhoni. India was clearly a bowler short, after Kartik was left out for Sehwag. Ganguly going for runs hurt India’s chances.

SCOREBOARD

India: S. Ganguly b Akhtar 6, S. Tendulkar c Akmal b Gul 99, G. Gambhir c Afridi b Gul 57, Sehwag b Afridi 25, Yuvraj c Gul b Tanvir 34, M. S. Dhoni c Akmal b Akhtar 4, R. Uthappa lbw b Tanvir 0, I. Pathan c Yousuf b Akhtar 7, Harbhajan (not out) 38, Zaheer (run out) 9, R.P. Singh (not out) 1; Extras: (lb-7, w-31, nb-3) 41; Total: (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 321.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-179, 3-186, 4-239, 5-259, 6-260, 7-266, 8-278, 9-311.

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 10-1-42-3, Gul 10-2-56-2, Tanvir 10-0-56-2, Anjum 7-0-64-0, Malik 3-0-31-0, Afridi 10-0-65-1.

Pakistan: S. Butt b Pathan 37, K. Akmal c Yuvraj b R.P. Singh 13, Younis b Zaheer 117, M. Yousuf st Dhoni b Harbhajan 12, S. Malik c Pathan b Harbhajan 25, Misbah b Singh 49, S. Afridi (not out) 29, S. Tanvir (not out) 14; Extras: (lb-9, w-16, nb-1) 26; Total: (for 6 wickets; in 49.5 overs) 322.

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-81, 3-105, 4-174, 5-276, 6-283.

Bowling: Zaheer 10-0-70-1; R.P. Singh 10-0-59-2; Pathan 9.5-0-53-1, Ganguly 9-0-55-0, Harbhajan 10-0-65-2, Tendulkar 1-0-11-0.

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