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This article was first published 11 years ago

PHOTOS: India vs Pakistan, Champions Trophy

Last updated on: June 15, 2013 23:45 IST

Image: India captain MS Dhoni leads out his team ahead the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Pakiatan at Edgbaston
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

India won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat first in the Group B match at Edgbaston.

- Scorecard

The match per se was inconsequential, with India already through to the semi-finals and Pakistan out of the tournament. However, that didn't take the sheen out of the game. 

MS Dhoni's team approached it with the right intent and emerged from the rain-truncated game, where India's target was revised to 102 (off 22 overs), with flying colours.

Pakistan were off to a poor start as in form Nasir Jamshed was back in the hut for just 2.

Jamshed who had survived a close leg-before-wicket call, edged one to Suresh Raina in second slips off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the third over.

Akmal-Hafeez steady Pakistan

Image: akistan's Kamran Akmal hits out during the ICC Champions Trophy group B match against India at Edgbaston cricket ground
Photographs: Philip Brown/Reuters

Kamran Akmal, who was promoted up the order as an opener along with Mohammad Hafeez steadied the ship for Pakistan.

Hafeez was the aggressor, smashing consecutive boundaries off Umesh Yadav. He then worked across the crease and hit it through square-leg for a boundary off Ishant Sharma.

Akmal (21) at the other end, latched on to a loose delivery from Kumar, dispatching it for a boundary towards square-leg. He then fiercely cut Ishant for a boundary through the point region.

Hafeez departs after the break

Image: Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez leaves the field after being dismissed during their ICC Champions Trophy group B match against India at Edgbaston cricket ground
Photographs: Philip Brown/Reuters

With Pakistan going great guns with the score 50-1 from 12 overs, when rain stopped play for 10 mintues.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck immediately off the very first ball after the break, removing Hafeez for 27, courtesy off a brilliant catch by MS Dhoni behind the stumps.

There were many rain breaks

Image: An India fan looks out from a bank of umbrellas as rain stops play during their ICC Champions Trophy group B match against Pakistan at Edgbaston cricket ground
Photographs: Darren Staples/Reuters

R Ashwin got into the act as he removed well set Kamran Akmal for 21. Akmal, who went in for an expansive drive was caught at leg gully by Virat Kohli.

Rain came back to play spoil sport once again with Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq in the middle on 14 and 5 respectively.

Shafiq top-scored with 41

Image: Pakistan's Asad Shafiq (right) hits out watched by India's Virat Kohli (left) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Photographs: REUTERS/Philip Brown

Asad Shafiq (41) was the top-scorer for Pakistan. 

Shafiq added 54 runs for the fourth wicket with his captain Misbah (22), Pakistan's best partnership of the day.

But a lot of their batsmen got starts but were unable to convert into substancial score.


Indian bowlers were impressive on the day

Image: Ravichandran Ashwin of India celebrates with teammates
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

It was a fantastic effort from the bowlers that enabled India to skittle out arch-rivals Pakistan for a modest 165.

Spin twins Ravindra Jadeja (2-30 in 8 overs) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-35 in 8 overs) kept the Pakistan batsmen on a leash during middle overs after brilliant opening spell by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-19 in 8 overs).


Dhawan continued with his good run of form

Image: Shikhar Dhawan
Photographs: REUTERS/Darren Staples

Shikhar Dhawan, who hit centuries in the opening two matches against South Africa and West Indies, continued with his good run of form with a well made 48, his 41-ball innings laced with five hits to the fence. 

The left-hander added 58 runs for the opening wicket with Rohit Sharma (18) to put India on course. He was eventually dismissed by Wahab Riaz but not before he had done the job he was expected to.

Though there were repeated rain breaks, and India's target kept getting revised. But the end result was never in doubt.