Two of Pakistan's experienced hands guided them to victory in their
first game in almost three months, and their first bilateral tour of
India in five years. An early burst from debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar,
who began his international career with a fabulous display of swing
bowling, rattled the Pakistan top order but the calm presence of Mohammad Hafeez and some enterprising batting from Shoaib Malik put a chase of 134 back on track.
Pakistan had another scare at the death, losing two in quick time when
victory appeared secure, but Malik ultimately saw them through in the
final over, sealing the game with a six. The hosts were a specialist
bowler short, as the Pakistan pair targeted the non-regulars, but a more
significant factor in India's loss was their implosion with the bat,
when they lost nine wickets for 47 runs in 46 balls.
A 36,000-strong crowd had been silenced during an impressive display of
bowling backed up by some excellent ground fielding that had helped
Pakistan fight back after India's openers had laid a strong foundation
in an attractive stand of 77 in under 11 overs. The decibel levels at
the Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, hit their peak when Bhuvneshwar swung
it this way and that, setting up two of this three victims with
outswingers before nipping one back in to dismantle the stumps. At 12
for 3, Pakistan were reeling; their rebuilding was steady, and resulted
in 24 boundary-less deliveries, but Hafeez and Malik pounced in at the
right time.
Virat Kohli was one of the part-timers used by India, and Hafeez slogged
him for two boundaries in the 11th over, at the start of which the
required-rate had hit almost nine an over. Yuvraj Singh dragged the ball
too short on occasion and was heaved for two sixes by the pair and they
each stepped out to Ravindra Jadeja to dispatch him for maximums over
his head.
The return of India's seamers didn't immediately check Pakistan, as the
equation was brought down to 16 off the last three overs, but Ishant
Sharma dismissed Hafeez and conceded just two in an over in which he had
Malik caught off a no-ball for height. Ashok Dinda was given the
penultimate over and he left Pakistan needing 10 off the last, which
Malik helped achieve with a straight six off a Jadeja length delivery to
win with two balls to spare.
Ajinkya Rahane's supreme timing was the feature of India's opening
partnership, as he lofted Pakistan's bowlers over extra cover
effortlessly, though they hit back after he fell upper-cutting to third
man. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal were the architects of that comeback,
after being struck for sixes in their respective opening overs. Gul was
smashed over midwicket by Gambhir, but had Yuvraj Singh caught in the
deep off a slower ball in his new spell before removing two in two
towards the death. Ajmal was carted over extra cover by Rahane, but
returned to dismiss MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina with quicker deliveries at
a time when India would have backed themselves to reach a score of
around or above 150.
Gambhir had started picking up the pace but was caught short of the
crease when attempting a second run in the 13th over. Sohail Tanvir
returned a throw on the half-volley to Kamran Akmal, who collected well
and dislodged the stumps. Kohli and Yuvraj began well but fell trying to
heave the seamers over square leg - left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan
got rid of Kohli to bag his first international wicket.
Ajmal's tricks against Dhoni and Raina, and the early run-out of Rohit
Sharma, sent back by a direct hit from the deep, transformed India's
game from one aimed at an aggressive charge to mere survival. India
scored just one boundary in the last six overs, their early advantage
was squandered and not even a dream debut that produced a spell of
4-0-9-3 could restore it completely.
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