It was billed as a contest between India's batsmen and Pakistan's
bowlers. Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed ensured the pressure would be
squarely on the former going into the chase, with a 224-run opening
partnership - Pakistan's second-highest in ODIs. After having failed to
defend 289 against Bangladesh, India were once again let down by the
inability of their bowlers to either strike or contain.
India had the opportunity to make first use of the Mirpur pitch, which
has been harsher for bowlers in the evening, but Hafeez and Jamshed
stroked boundaries at will, against a listless unit, on their way to
centuries. Younis Khan, usually not one to worry attacks at the death,
smashed 52 off 34 deliveries to lift Pakistan to their second-highest
total against India.
India's lack of penetration was evident when MS Dhoni threw the ball to
Sachin Tendulkar in the 24th over, after having already tried seven
bowlers. Five of them had already gone at more than run-a-ball by then,
and none, barring Ashok Dinda, had come close to troubling the Pakistan
openers.
To make it worse for India, Tendulkar had to leave the field in the 26th
over after hurting his finger while trying to take a return-catch off
Jamshed. The catch was dropped, and it was unclear whether Tendulkar
would be able to bat in the chase.
Pakistan had taken control long before that, though, with Hafeez and
Jamshed, a burly left-hander in the Graeme Smith mould, playing with
assurance and eschewing any desperation. They were away from the moment
Praveen Kumar sprayed his fourth delivery wide outside off to Hafeez,
who cashed in with a cut for four past point.
Jamshed, who clearly favours the on side, hit Praveen out of the attack,
taking him for three fours in four deliveries with well-balanced clips.
Dhoni turned to Dinda, whose extra pace and tighter lines limited the
pace of scoring. But Irfan Pathan now leaked runs from the other end.
Dhoni turned to his part-time offspin trio of Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina
and Yusuf Pathan. Pakistan easily milked them for singles. There was a
leg-before shout by Rohit against Jamshed, though, which was turned
down, with replays showing the ball would have hit leg stump.
Dhoni continued to try all the options he had. R Ashwin proved to be too
inconsistent with his lines and lengths to make any impression as the
side's lead spinner. Despite there being some turn and bounce on offer,
Ashwin was unable to utilise them to his advantage. His first over went
for 11; Dhoni brought back Irfan, who conceded 13, with Hafeez
exploiting width on both sides of the wicket to hit consecutive fours.
In between those two overs from Ashwin and Irfan, Dinda came close to
dismissing both batsmen, but ended up going for 12 in the 18th over.
Hafeez could have played on but instead got four to fine leg; Jamshed
could have mistimed a pull for a catch but instead the duo got to their
fifties in the over.
The previous best opening stand for Pakistan against India was 144
between Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar in 1996; Hafeez and Jamshed had
already rustled up 150 at the halfway mark. Both soon got to their
centuries, Jamshed's being his maiden one in ODIs.
Jamshed signalled more punishment for India in the over before the start
of the batting Powerplay with a flicked six off Praveen over deep
square leg. The Powerplay consumed both batsmen in the search of more
runs, but Younis and Umar Akmal ensured that Pakistan came nowhere to
enduring the kind of middle-order collapse they had had against
Bangladesh.
Younis has been criticised for being slow in this format, but today he
was at ease as the innings neared its close. Orthodox punches and lofts
raced for boundaries through the off side and Pakistan were able to
afford a lacklustre display from Shahid Afridi.
The last time India's batsmen were handed a 300-plus target, they got it
in 36.4 overs. With Pakistan playing another quick bowler, Wahab Riaz,
in place of Sarfraz Ahmed, and Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal waiting, a
similar challenge confronts them this time.
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