2012 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 – Match Recap
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Kohli-c2737’s unbeaten 78 helped India to script a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Pakistan in a crucial World T20 Super Eight match, and keep their chances of making tournament semis alive.
Coming into the match at the back of a nine-wicket crushing at the hands of mighty Aussies, India needed to win the encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan to remain in contention for the final fours. The men in blue bounced back brilliantly from the nine-wicket
hammering and silenced their critics with a startling performance with both bat and ball.
After the five-bowler strategy backfired at them on Friday, the 2007 World Champions returned to seven batsmen combination, recalling swashbuckling opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harbhajan-Singh-c61453 made
way for pace bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lakshmipathy-Balaji-c72130.
Indian bowlers dominated right from the word go, never allowing the opposition to get partnerships going, and the Pakistan batsmen did not help themselves with poor shot selections against the spinners, as the whole side was bundled out for just 128 in 19.4
overs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Akmal-c94595 was the only other Pakistan batsman who was able to get more than 20, while the rest of the line-up perished for scores inside 15. The duo also shared the most productive partnership of Pakistan
innings – 47-stand from 33 balls. Both Malik and Akmal fell prey to R Ashwin, in the 16th and 18th over respectively.
Balaji was the pick of Indian bowlers, with figures of 3 for 22 in 3.4 overs, while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yuvraj-Singh-c98364 also picked
up two wickets, besides a direct hit run out.
India’s chase got off to a tumultuous start, as rookie spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Gambhir-c1447 caught and bowled on the second ball of the Indian innings, for a sweet duck.
After Gambhir’s early dismissal, opener Sehwag and in-form Virat Kohli stabilised Indian innings, starting slowly before increasing the pace after the powerplay overs. Kohli was offered a chance by Umar Akmal, on 42, though it was a difficult effort.
The next over, opener Sehwag holed out on 29, after being caught by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Paul-Anthony-Hibbert-c81005 was again dropped on 64, this time by Imran
Nazir, at deep midwicket.
Kohli was named as the man of the match, after India chased down the meagre total, with eight wickets and three overs to spare. Kohli returned unbeaten on 78 off 61, while Yuvraj Singh scored 19 not out.
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