pakistan sport 15-1-2013

Pakistan beat India by four wickets in first ODI 

Chennai: A constant Nasir Jamshed percent and a half-century classic by veteran Younis Khan Pakistan led to a six-wicket thrilling victory against India in the first one-day international here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk on Sunday.

Chasing a modest target of 228, Pakistan were under enormous pressure as they lost the first two wickets for just 21 runs on the board. Both wickets were to young pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Mohammad Hafeez was shot the ball first episode and then Azhar Ali was caught by Rohit Sharma.

But a 112-run third wicket partnership between Nasir and Jan made the easy target and Pakistan completed victory in 48.1 overs when Shoaib Malik hit Dinda limit.

Khan Younis did 58 of 60 balls. He was captured by Ashwin off Dinda.

Nasir Jamshed completed his second ODI hundred remained unbeaten on 101 while Shoaib Malik was 34 not out.

Previously, Mahinder Singh Dhoni leading from the front rescued his team problems. He made an unbeaten 113 from 125 balls with three sixes and seven fours.

Pakistan captain Misbah After-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to take the field in the game delayed by an hour due to rain in the morning, India had a disastrous start when their top order batsmen could not resist against the fierce bowling by Junaid and Irfan.

First out was the veteran batsman Virender Sehwag to be clean bowled by Junaid in the room again. He made only four and India were 17 for one.

Then his partner Gautam Gambhir was also shot, but this time by Irfan in the same score in more than five years.

Two races later, as most batsman Virat Kohli departed without opening his account. as his stumps uprooted Junaid

Dashing batsman Yuvraj Singh could not stay at the crease and he was also shot by Junaid clean by just two runs and four wickets India lost by only 20 runs.

Later, Rohit Sharma was brilliantly caught at slip by Mohammad Hafeez Junaid third of four people and India reeling at 29-5.

So, Rohit Sharma and Dhoni came to the rescue and see India batted steadily to reach 100 in 30 overs but only runs after Sharma was bowled by spinner Hafeez off 43.

He and Dhoni added 73 runs for the sixth wicket partnership.

Then with Ashwin (31 not out), Dhoni made 125 runs record by a non finish seventh wicket

Junaid claimed four for 43, while Irfan and Hafeez took one wicket each.