Sport

Yuvraj, Dhoni set up India’s handsome win

Kanpur: There was initial restraint from Yuvraj Singh and M.S. Dhoni; but what followed were slog-sweeps, flicks and drives, all deployed for a torrent of boundaries. The hitting was remorseless, but controlled.

The 100-run partnership between the two overshadowed Salman Butt’s counter-attacking century while chasing, as India won the third ODI at the Green Park by 46-runs.

Yuvraj walked in with the innings in need of some repair. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly had a mixed session, using both strength and stealth for runs. They were sent back by Sohail Tanvir after a decent start.

Yuvraj began with wristy elegance, but settled down to holding fort while gauging a wearing track. Dhoni arrived with a guided boundary behind slips, but joined his partner for a sedentary few overs.

The introduction of spinner Abdur Rehman was Shoaib Malik’s signpost to the batsmen. The weak-link in the bowling attack had to be smothered.

Yuvraj’s two sixes off Rehman were delicious. The third ball of the 34th over was despatched — courtesy an elegant slog-sweep. The second was stamped with pre-meditated intent. A few steps in front, and long-on was cleared.

Dhoni went a step further in the next over, clearing the sight-screen off his counterpart. Five balls later, with a furious semi-swing, he sent one scurrying towards the shamiana.

Super-quick Shoaib Akhtar had his dose as well. Dhoni, the batting equivalent of a tearaway quick, found an apt response to Akhtar. A lightening-quick slap for a boundary sparked off an interesting mini-contest.

The partnership provided contrasting thrills. Dhoni’s attack was simple. The ball was subjected to a brutal fate as it was meant to. Yuvraj, on the other hand, was all touch and curves. Their intent was similar. Murderous. The four sixes had started the rapid decay.

Pakistan had not so much lost the plot, as they had it snatched away from it. Tanvir’s miserliness was the lone redeeming feature of the bowling.

Butt had dropped Yuvraj when in his 20s, and had to compensate. His three centuries prior to Sunday’s had come against India, a statistic that earned him a berth in the squad after he was in the sidelines against South Africa.

History played its part again in Afridi’s role as a makeshift opener. His 46-ball 102 had come in this venue. The common factor was India, and the plan seemed all right.

The boundaries poured in. Butt had been in good nick through the series. The bat-swing had a stamp of confidence and the placement belied a man who had recently struggled for runs.

The pitch had worn out considerably and the ball kept low. Afridi was sent back by Pathan, deceived by height. Younis Khan was also done in by the bounce, succumbing to an R.P. Singh in-swinger.

Butt was a picture of solidity. The whiplash smack through the offside was the day’s trademark boundary shot. He seemed to pick the line and bounce with ease, fearless enough to expose the stumps. What he lacked was an ally.

Harbhajan Singh stood out for his frugal spell. Unerring in length, he milked the pitch for whatever he could, bowling fuller than before, and benefiting with turn.

In contrast, Murali Kartik could get nothing going on a helpful pitch against the right-handers.

The Pakistani chase was hampered by mindless runouts. Butt’s dismissal was for all purposes, the end of the match.

SCOREBOARD

 India: S. Ganguly b Tanvir 39, S. Tendulkar c Akmal b Tanvir 29, G. Gambhir b Rehman 25, Yuvraj c Misbah b Rehman 77, M.S. Dhoni b Akhtar 49, R. Uthappa b Gul 19, I. Pathan (not out) 17, Harbhajan (not out) 10; Extras (b-6, lb-3, w-17, nb-3): 29; Total (for six wkts. in 50 overs): 294.

Fall of wickets: 1-68 (Tendulkar), 2-82 (Ganguly), 3-129 (Gambhir), 4-229 (Dhoni), 5-260 (Yuvraj), 6-265 (Uthappa).

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 10-1-40-1, Gul 10-0-70-1, Tanvir 10-1-26-2, Afridi 7-0-57-0, Malik 6-1-34-0, Rehman 7-0-58-2.

Pakistan: S. Butt lbw b Harbhajan 129, S. Afridi b Pathan 12, Younis b R.P. Singh 21, Mohd. Yousuf (run out) 16, S. Malik lbw b Yuvraj 12, Misbah b Kartik 38, K. Akmal c Harbhajan b R.P. Singh 2, S. Tanvir (run out) 0, A. Rehman b R.P. Singh 2, S. Akhtar c sub (Rohit) b R.P. Singh 1, U. Gul (not out) 2; Extras (lb-1, w-12): 13; Total (in 47.2 overs): 248.

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Afridi), 2-72 (Younis), 3-104 (Yousuf), 4-134 (Malik), 5-214 (Misbah), 6-226 (Akmal), 7-231 (Tanvir), 8-244 (Rehman), 9-246 (Butt).

India bowling: R.P. Singh 8.2-1-63-4, Pathan 10-0-61-1, Zaheer 7-2-24-0, Harbhajan 10-0-32-1, Kartik 6-0-38-1, Yuvraj 5-0-18-1, Tendulkar 1-0-11-0.

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