Date:28/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/28/stories/2008062855271900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Sehwag sizzles, India wins

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Karachi: Virender Sehwag scattered the fielders, crumpled the required run-rate charts with instinctive ease and powered India to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a STAR Cricket Asia Cup Group B match at the National Stadium here on Thursday.

Sehwag’s 119 (95b, 12x4, 5x6) and his 198-run second-wicket partnership with Suresh Raina helped India canter past Pakistan’s 299 for four in 50 overs. India scored 301 for four in 42.1 overs.

The initial minutes of the chase was a mix of Umar Gul leaving the field in discomfort and Gambhir’s slash prompting Misbah-ul-Haq to defy gravity at backward point.

Twelve for one and Suresh Raina emerged with quick winnowing steps that soon left a larger imprint on the pitch as his 84 (69b, 10x4, 3x6) nearly put Sehwag’s ninth ODI century in the shade.

In the end, Yuvraj and skipper M.S. Dhoni ensured that the winning runs were gained with minimum fuss.

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan: 299 for four wkts. in 50 overs.

India: G. Gambhir c Misbah b Iftikhar 9, V. Sehwag c Younis b Afridi 119, S. Raina c Fawad b Iftikhar 84, Yuvraj c Butt b Tanvir 48, M.S. Dhoni (not out) 26, Rohit (not out) 0; Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-7, nb-1): 15; Total (for four wkts. in 42.1 overs): 301.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-210, 3-231, 4-294.

Pakistan bowling: Gul 1.2-0-6-0, Tanvir 9-0-55-1, Iftikhar 9.4-0-61-2, Afridi 10-0-64-1, Fawad 7-0-64-0, Butt 1-0-13-0, Younis 4.1-0-31-0.