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Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008
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India XI posts win

Principal Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: The flamboyance of Ambati Rayudu at the top and the elegance of Hemang Badani in the final overs were just good enough for ICL India XI to record a four-wicket win over ICL Pakistan XI in the ICL World Series cricket championship at Sardar Patel Stadium (Navrangpura) here on Monday night.

India XI was always in the chase thanks mainly due to the innovative Ibrahim Khaleel (36, 27b, 4x4, 1x6) and Rayudu, who put on 67 runs for the second wicket in double quick time.

Arshad Khan soon dismissed Khaleel and Stuart Binny (8) in quick succession to reduce India XI to 99 for three. Then, Mohammad Sami saw captain R. Satish (3) clip one straight to Inzamam-ul-Haq at mid-on and the scoreline read 105 for four in 12.2 overs.

However, Man-of-the-Match Rayudu was in a belligerent mood scoring his fourth ICL fifty before a brilliant catch by wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat off Razzaq brought an end to his knock (65, 47b, 8x4, 1x6).

Badani then revelled (32 not out, 2x4, 2x6) with some pleasing strokes, including two beautifully-timed sixes — one each off Arshad and Rana Naved — to give the finishing touches.

Earlier, medium-pacer R. Jesuraj (three for 30) and left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza (three for 29) restricted the formidable Pakistanis to 165 for nine.

Jesuraj struck the first two big blows removing the dangerous openers — Imran Nazir (16) and Imran Farhat (0) — by the third over.

But then, Naved-ul-Hasan Rana came up with yet another impressive performance with the bat, scoring 44 (31b, 6x4, 1x6). However, the advent of Murtaza changed the course of the proceedings as he first lured Rana into a big hit only to be caught in the deep and later trapped captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (24) lbw, trying to sweep.

Then, Abdul Razzaq (15) was dismissed cheaply by Stuart Binny, and the Pakistanis never recovered from that.

The scores: ICL Pakistan 165 for nine in 20 overs (Naved-ul-Hasan Rana 44, R. Jesuraj three for 30, Ali Mortaza three for 29) lost to ICL India XI 167 for six in 19.1 overs (Ibrahim Khaleel 36, Ambati Rayudu 65, Hemang Badani 32 not out).

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