India beat Pakistan by 18 runs
A brilliant century by skipper Mohammad
Azharuddin and a blistering 67 off 44 balls by Sachin Tendulkar
guided India to a win over Pakistan in the second match of the
three-nation Independence Cup at the National
Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.
In response to India's 245 for 8, Pakistan, despite a fighting knock of 77 from Inzamam-ul Haq, fell short by 18 runs
Like Saturday, the game started an hour late due to poor
visibility. The umpires, after consulting the match referee,
reduced the contest to a 37overs-a-side game instead of the scheduled 50.
India received an early setback after Pakistan skipper Rashid
Latif called correctly and put them into bat. Opener Saurav Ganguly,
who started flamboyantly hitting two boundaries off debutant
Pakistani medium pacer Fazle Akbar in the second over, lost his
concentration in the next and was out for 13. For the second day running Saurav got out cheaply, trying to chase a delivery outside the off stump. He was
caught by Inzamam at second slip off Aaqib Javed.
India soon got over that setback as Azhar
joined Tendulkar; the duo clobbered the Pakistani
pacemen and spinners alike. Tendulkar raced to his 38th half century off only 30 deliveries.
Both batsmen were in top form and took the total to 92 in just
ten overs.
Tendulkar's fine effort ended when he
missed the line of a delivery from off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, and he was stumped
by Rashid Latif. India: 126 for 2. The little master had set the ational Stadium alight with his 11 boundaries. The second wicket partnership produced 112 runs in 13.5 overs.
Tendulkar's exit saw Azhar take charge, well
assisted by Navjot Sidhu. The duo posted the 200 of the innings in 28.5 overs, adding 89 runs for the 3rd wicket.
Though Manzoor Akhtar missed a caught-and-bowled opportunity when Sidhu
was at 29, Azhar Mahmood got 'Jonty Singh' off his own bowling in the 32nd over.
Sidhu's 36 came off 43 balls and included three boundaries.
His departure saw India lose three quick wickets -- Jadeja, Robin Singh and Bahutule. While Jadeja (6) was caught by Akhtar off Saqlain, Robin (1) lofted Aaqib into Saeed Anwar's hands. Bahutule also fell
victim to Saqlain and was caught by Afridi, making just one.
Azhar, who hung on at the other end, finally scored his fifth one-day ton, taking a single off the first ball of the last over. With
three balls remaining, he went for a big hit and was caught by Azhar
Mahmood at deep square leg off Saqlain. His 100 came off 111
deliveries and included seven boundaries. India added just two runs in the remaining three balls.
Scoreboard
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