Faced with the prospect of being knocked out of the Asia Cup, Pakistan responded in the best manner possible -- by scoring tons of runs and then bowling with sense and purpose.
One-day matches more often than not are won by a brilliant batting display and Shoaib Malik helped Pakistan to a 59-run win over arch-rivals India on Sunday.
The all-rounder compiled a career-best 143, his second century of the tournament, to guide Pakistan to a daunting 300 for the loss of 9 wickets.
In reply, India were restricted to 241 for eight in their 50 overs, with Sachin Tendulkar, 78, playing a lone hand.
Pakistan innings
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first in their crucial second round clash.
India left out middle order batsman VVS Laxman, who bruised his knee during practice on Friday, and included leg spinner Anil Kumble as spin partner for off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Pakistan went in with the same team that lost by seven wickets to hosts Sri Lanka earlier in the week.
India will qualify for the six-nation tournament final on August 1 if they win this crucial tie, while Pakistan must win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
As has become the norm now, Irfan Pathan once again claimed a wicket in his first over. The left-arm medium pacer is most dangerous when he can get the ball to swing into the right-hander.
Irfan had that ball moving in the first over itself and after a few deliveries that went with the arm, he got one to swing into the batsman and trapped opener Imran Nazir leg before wicket. (2 for 1)
But Laxmipathy Balaji's troubles with the new ball continued. The medium pacer has been woefully out of form and it told on his confidence. His first three overs were smashed for 26 runs even as Irfan did well to hold his own at the other end.
The main damage was being caused by Malik, batting up the order in this tournament. His unorthodox hitting certainly ruffled the Indian bowlers. An exceptionally strong player on the off-side, Malik would regualrly plant his front foot forward and drive through the off-side.
By the end of the 10th over, Pakistan had recovered well from the loss of an early wicket with opener Yasir Hameed and Malik putting together a good partnership.
Pathan, bowling near 126 kmph, seemed to have cut down on pace in a bid to gain control over line and length. That, in many ways, could explain the difference between Balaji and the left-armer.
By the 15th over Pakistan were well and truly on their way and had reached 88/1.
Harbhajan was introduced into the attack immediately after the 15th over. The off-spinner was playing only his first ODI against Pakistan, despite having made his ODI debut way back in 1997/98.
Malik, who had been playing freely from the start, buckled down a bit. Coach Bob Woolmer's influence could be seen in the way the game changed at this point. The extravagant shots were put away and the batsmen started milking the bowling for ones and twos. Malik's poise and control at this point showed that he is certainly one of the stars of the future and not just a pinch-hitter.
Ganguly had gone in for spin at both ends and Anil Kumble struck a blow for India. After being struck for a four, the leg-spinner got his own back when he beat the opener in the flight. Hameed (31) only managed to get an inside edge that ricocheted off the pads onto the stumps. Ganguly screamed his pleasure as did Kumble. (105 for 2)
One of the features of this Pakistan innings was the number of partnerships they put together. Inzamam came in and looked in very good touch. Malik was still calling the shots even as Inzamam got set to play a long innings.
But Harbhajan got him much to India and Ganguly's relief. The Pakistan skipper went for a sweep but failed to keep the ball down. Yuvraj, who was positioned at backward square leg for exactly that shot, took the catch. Inzamam (34) stayed rooted to the spot, head bowed in disgust and disbelief; he could not believe the folly he had committed.
But Malik, at the other end, was not going to be fazed by anything. He continued to bat with great comfort. His innings included 47 singles, 6 twos and 3 threes in addition to 18 boundaries and 1 six.
But it was not a flawless innings as he survived edges, dropped catches, a missed stumping and run-outs. He sure led a charmed life and, to his credit, made the best of all those chances.
The Indians had a very bad day in the field and there were numerous misfields throughout.
Sachin Tendulkar bowled superbly in the end, after being thrashed for 12 runs in his first over, to claim three wickets and just hold Pakistan back a bit. He also claimed the vital wicket of Malik.
Bowling from over the wicket, Tendulkar tempted Malik into going for a slog drive and he only succeeded in holing out to Mohammad Kaif at long-off.
Malik added 103 with opener Yasir Hameed; 66 with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and 63 with Yousuf Youhana during his 127-ball knock.
In the end, Youhana (29), Abdul Razzaq (22) and Moin Khan (12 not out) alongwith Malik helped Pakistan reach 300 for the loss of 9 wickets at the end of their alloted overs.
India innings
India's innings stuttered, gave hope and then sunk into mediocrity. Throughout the innings it never really looked like they would be able to chase the huge Pakistan total successfully. And when they lost opener Virender Sehwag early in the innings, they lost their best chance of getting off to a quick-fire start.
Sehwag lasted just four balls. He survived a leg before appeal off a no-ball from Shabbir Ahmed, but then hung his bat outside the off-stump and edged a simple catch to Moin Khan. (17 for 1)
Cricket is a game of numbers not only for the statisticians, but also for the Indian skipper too. While fielding, Ganguly sported number 46 and Pakistan went on to score 300. When he walked in to bat, he was back to 99, his original number.
The look on Ganguly's face suggested he was determined to fashion out an Indian win. But he was greeted by an inspired Shoaib Akhtar, who has struggled with his fitness for a while. However, today he was at his hostile best.
Charging in off a long run-up, he regularly bowled over 150 kmph. But it wasn't just the pace but also the direction that made him such a dangerous opponent. The deliveries were short, fast and heading straight for Ganguly's rib-cage.
Somehow one got the feeling that if Ganguly managed to get through this spell, he would let loose and play a masterpiece. The left-hander was almost perpetually on the backfoot, expecting the short ball and he was correct most of the time. There were a few anxious moments but he survived.
After a five-over spell, Shoaib was taken out of the attack. Almost immediately, Ganguly charged Shabbir Ahmed and hit him for a six over the cover region. One got a feeling that now all hell would break loose.
Tendulkar, at the other end, had looked in no trouble at all. He was quietly picking the singles and rotating the strike, content to let all the action take place at the other end.
Together, Tendulkar and Ganguly revived the innings with a 62-run partnership. But just when you got the feeling that India's luck was changing Ganguly (39, 5 x 4, 1 x 6) walked too far across the stumps to Mohammad Sami and the ball grazed the thigh pad before crashing into leg stump. (79 for 2)
Dravid (5) lasted just nine balls and was trapped leg before the wicket by a sharpish inswinging delivery from Abdul Razzaq, whose line and length was impeccable. Umpire Billy Doctrove took his time and then, raised his finger. (94 for 3)
Yuvraj Singh joined Tendulkar in the middle. Things were already looking grim for the Indians. But for a master class from Tendulkar, it seemed like a lost cause.
India needed the Sachin of old, the one who took the initiative; the one who attacked as if there was no tomorrow. But that Sachin never surfaced. He bided his time for a final assault, hoping that at least some of the regular batsmen would stay with him.
But Yuvraj (28) was caught and bowled off Malik and Mohammad Kaif (3) was run-out.
At that point, Sachin seemed to mentally change the target. No longer did he want to win. Instead, he wanted to make sure that India would reach 240 and deny Pakistan the bonus point.
There was a time and age when he would have believed that victory is never impossible but today he settled for less.
India lost their way badly, slipping from 79 for one to 151 for five. In the stretch between the 22nd and 32rd over, India scored just 36 runs. The Pakistanis bowled well within themselves but they had a plan for each of the top order batsmen.
Pathan walked to the centre. The message was clear: safety first was going to be India's approach.
A face-saving 63-run partnership in 80 balls followed with Irfan Pathan, before Tendulkar failed to get hold off a Malik delivery and hit it straight to mid-wicket. The 31-year-old top-scored with 78 from 103 deliveries (6 x 4). (214 for 6)
Pathan's 38 from 75 balls, his highest ODI score, and some last over scampering by Kumble and Balaji ensured Pakistan did not pick up a bonus point, which would have severely hindered India's march into the final.
India ended up with 241 for the loss of eight wickets.
India, on seven points, must now beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday to reach the final, while Pakistan, on five points, must beat Bangladesh and hope Sri Lanka defeat India.
Sri Lanka, who have 12 points after big wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan, are assured of a place in the final on August 1.
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