Sixth wonder

Rohit Mahajan

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Adelaide, February 15

India were calm, Pakistan restless and edgy. India were methodical and clinical, the Pakistanis nervous and edgy.

This made the latest edition of India vs Pakistan in the World Cup a non-contest. But the match was infused with incredible amounts of passion and energy, and a billion people watched it on TV. India’s defence of their World Cup began with a crushing victory over Pakistan in a city kindled by the passion of the fans.

Choosing to bat first, the Indian batsmen faced initial struggles before imposing themselves. The target of 301 seemed gettable on the placid wicket, but the Indians bowled with verve and discipline, and Pakistan were restive and fearful again. The stadium was rocked by the noise of Indians — some 80 percent of the spectators present were India’s supporters — and Pakistan crumbled.

India, who had not won a single international game in Australia since arriving in this country in November, have found passion and energy and their game. The victory of old rivals has fired up the defence of the crown.

In many ways, the victory of India was expected; in many ways, it was a night full of surprises. The DRS came to India’s aid in the removal of Umar Akmal off Ravindra Jadeja. Shikhar Dhawan, who has endured horror after horror on this tour, played with rare maturity, building his and India’s innings with method and care. Kohli, India’s hero of the Test series against Australia, played the sheet anchor role —he later said that his job was to hang around and let the others get the big hits. This role is not something Kohli is used to, yet he performed it to perfection.

Suresh Raina played a most valuable knock that took, along with the efforts of Kohli and Dhawan, India to 300 in 50 overs. Pakistan, for the sixth time out of six, failed to perform in the World Cup encounter against India.

Pakistan were jittery in the chase, losing makeshift opener Younis Khan to a Mohammed Shami stinger that rose suddenly towards his face. Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail added 68 for the second wicket, but then Pakistan lost three wickets for one run. When Shahid Afridi holed out after 22 off 22 balls, the score became 149/6 in 34.1 overs. The match was over then and there, and the Pakistani supporters began to troop out mournfully.

Despite the low quality of Pakistan’s effort, Dhoni deserves much credit for having marshalled his bowlers very well. The seamers, the centre of India’s troubled bowling woes, were unexpectedly disciplined and sharp — the quality of Pakistan’s batting magnified their merit. Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma bowled well, even as the wicket slowed a bit and shot-making became more difficult. Did India get lucky with the DRS? Akmal was given out caught-behind by the third umpire, on the evidence of the Snickometer, evidence that seemed inadequate. But the third umpire was convinced; it may not have been a decisive blow to Pakistan’s hopes, because the match had begun to slip from their grasp by then.

When India had batted, the gangling tall Mohammad Irfan caused them trouble. India were only 21/0 after five overs, and they were down to 34/1 when Rohit Sharma fell to the excellent Sohail Khan.

Dhawan was remarkable in the way he rebuilt the innings with Kohli; he got 73 in close to run-a-ball, but he did that without taking risks, without trying to belt the bowlers out of the ground. Raina, confident in the role of the enforcer, timed the ball well and with confidence, clearing the boundary and finding the gaps regularly. Kohli’s century, the first by an Indian batsman in a World Cup encounter against Pakistan, caused him to break into greater joy than usual, and this was justified.

India seemed set to score well over 320 at one stage, but yet again, Dhoni failed to finish the innings in his style of the old. He did get 18 off 13 balls, with a four and a six, but while he was at the crease, India’s rate of scoring declined. Sohail was brilliant with the lengths he bowled to Dhoni — short of a length and bouncing.

India got some 20 runs fewer than they should have, but the total was easily beyond the reach of their neighbours.

Scoreboard

India
Rohit c Misbah b Sohail 15
Dhawan run out (Misbah) 73
Kohli c Akmal b Sohail 107
Raina c Haris b Sohail 74
Dhoni c Misbah b Sohail 18
Jadeja b Riaz 3
Rahane b Sohail 0
Ashwin not out 1
Shami not out 3
Extras (lb 2, w 3, nb 1) 6
Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) 300
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-163, 3-273, 4-284, 5-296, 6-296, 7-296 
Bowling
Irfan 10-0-58-0
Sohail 10-0-55-5
Afridi 8-0-50-0
Riaz 10-0-49-1
Shah 8-0-60-0
Haris 4-0-26-0

Pakistan
Shehzad c Jadeja b Yadav 47
Younis c Dhoni b Sham i6
Haris c Raina b Ashwin 36
Misbah c Rahane b Shami 76
Maqsood c Raina b Yadav 0
Akmal c Dhoni b Jadeja 0
Afridi c Kohli b Shami 22
Riaz c Dhoni b Shami 4
Shah c Yadav b Mohit 13
Sohail c Yadav b Mohit 7
Irfan not out 1
Extras (lb 1, w 10, nb 1) 12 
Total (all out; 47 overs) 224 
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-79, 3-102, 4-102, 5-103, 6-149, 7-154, 8-203, 9-220 
Bowling 
Yadav 10-0-50-2
Shami 9-1-35-4
Mohit 9-0-35-2
Raina 1-0-6-0
Ashwin 8-3-41-1
Jadeja 10-0-56-1

Six reasons behind the sixth victory

1 Virat‘s ton

His hundred was the cornerstone of the innings. Playing a risk-free knock, without the usual flourish, he anchored the innings, allowing the likes of Dhawan and Raina to play around him.

2 Dropped 

Give Kohli one chance, and he will make you pay for it. Pakistan dropped him twice – first at long-on when he was on just 3; and behind the wicket when he was 76.

3 Big Stand

The 100-plus stand between Kohli and Dhawan laid the foundation for a big total. After losing Rohit, India needed a big stand. The duo did just that, and India were on their way.

4 Raina run

He provided the thrust when it was needed. He used pulls to good effect to make use of the shorter square boundaries. It was thanks to his quick 74 that India reached 300.

5 Twin strike

Umesh Yadav’s two wickets in two balls left Pakistan gasping for breath. From 102 /2, Pak were down to 102 for 4. And then the freak dismissal of Umar Akmal made it 103 for 5. Game over.

6 Toss

In a pressure match, the recipe to win is simple. Win the toss, post a big total and see the opposition crumble under mounting pressure. That’s exactly what happened today too.

Well, the record is good, but it's something that I don't want to get into because there will come a time when we will lose, irrespective of whether it happens this World Cup, next World Cup or four World Cups down the line — MS Dhoni

Pakistan committed too many mistakes. Younis Khan should not have been sent as an opener and they should not have dropped Sarfraz Ahmed and made Umar Akmal keep wickets. There was no proper planning — Zaheer Abbas, former pakistan cricketer

This Pakistan team lacks maturity but we seem to have that going for us. Especially, the captain today. Dhoni played his role of skipper really well. His field placements for attacking bowlers like Shami and Ashwin were spot on — Kapil Dev

He (Kohli) is the guy when he gets going, he can take charge of the innings. It makes it easier for other Indian batsman and puts the opposition back on their heels. So I think Kohli is definitely a number three player — Ian Chappell, former australia captain

India again have to look at their bowling. While they have done well, there are areas where they need to tighten up a little bit  to restrict the opposition. But overall it was a satisfying performance today — Sunil Gavaskar

India's intention was very positive, whereas Pakistan had no intent...nothing at all. They didn't stick to their plan. It was poor planning, poor captaincy. There was nothing positive in their approach. They never tried to disrupt the rhythm of the Indian bowlers.  — Krishnamachari Srikanth

Quick Singles

Misbah rues 3-wicket blitz during chase

The Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was just starting to feel confident about his team's chances of beating India at the World Cup on Sunday when everything fell apart in just nine balls. Misbah had been scoring almost effortlessly but was left to rue what might have been after the mid-innings collapse ended Pakistan's momentum and resulted in 76-run drubbing at the Adelaide Oval. “Our batsmen really could not convert the starts and some of them really got out early,” Misbah said. “We need to learn. Like good players we need to just carry on. We lost three quick wickets in the middle and that's from where we just lost the way.”

Be more stern with players, Akhtar tells Misbah

Pakistan's former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has advised captain Misbah-ul-Haq to become more stern and be strong with the players if the team harbours hopes of doing well in the cricket World Cup. “I am totally disappointed today at the way some of our batsmen played rash strokes and got out against India. I think Misbah has to shed some of his humbleness and calmness and deal with such players strongly,” Akhtar said. “Look at Ahmed Shehzad he has been now around for three to four years and what was he trying to do. I would dare him to show this same irresponsible attitude if Imran Khan was captain he would be shown the door in no time.”

Ajmal slams umpire Davis for referrel decision

Pakistan off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal, today said that ICC umpire, Steve Davis, had victimized Pakistan after he ruled Umar Akmal caught behind on a referral decision. “Steve Davis never upheld any appeal when I bowled and I had to always ask for a referral to get a wicket when he was the umpire,” Ajmal said. “Davis has always had issues with us. When the snickometre didn't show anything and there was no sound why was Umar given out on referral.” — Agencies