India defeat Pakistan by 7 wickets

DHAKA: India won the first match of their T-20 World Cup 2014 campaign against Pakistan by 7 wickets at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium Mirpur.

| WATCH: MATCH ANALYSIS |

Chasing a not very stiff target of 131, India got off to a brilliant start and reached 50 without loss in the 8th over.

But both openers were dismissed in quick succession as S. Dhawan (30) and R. Sharma (24) were sent back in the 8th and 10th overs respectively.

Pakistan got back into the game briefly as Yuvraj Singh was bowled by Bilawal Bhatti off his first delivery but then came in Suresh Raina who looked very comfortable from the start.

Any chance Pakistan could have had was vanished as S. Raina was dropped by Shahid Afridi off Mohammad Hafeez.

Eventually Virat Kohli (36 not out) and Suresh Raina(34 not out) got India home comfortably with 9 balls remaining. There partnership was worth 66.

Saeed Ajmal was again the pick of bowlers with 1-18 off 4 overs.

India’s A.Mishra was declared player of the match for his brilliant spell which got him 2-22.

Earlier Pakistan had limped to 130/7.

Pakistan were held back as they lost early wickets as Kamran Akmal, Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad were back in the pavilion for only 47 on the board.

A 50 run 5th wicket stand between Shoib Malik(18) and Umer Akmal (33) got them back on track before both the batsmen got out one after the other to put the pressure back on the team.

Once again it was left to Shahid Afridi to take Pakistan to a competitive total. But some good bowling by the seamers at the death didn’t let him open his arms as he was caught in the deep trying to accelerate in the penultimate over.

Sohaib Maqsood played a cameo at the end scoring a brisk 21 off 11 balls with 2x4 and a maximum.

Mishra bowled superbly for India finishing with 2/22 off his full quota.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Indian Innings

Over 19: Raina dropped by Hafeez on first ball of Gul's over. Raina hist Gul for six. Raina scores winning single.

Over 18: Junaid Khan in to ball for Pakistan. India 124/3

Over 17: Ajmal bowls last over of his spell. Fifty partnership between Raina and Kohli. India 115/3. Ajmal finishes with 1/18

Over 16: Umar Gul in for Pakistan. India 114/3

Over 15: Kohli hist Afridi over extra cover for four of first ball. Kohili hits Afridi for another four down the ground on third ball of the over. India 106/3

Over 14: Saeed Ajmal bowls his third over. India 94/3

Over 13: Raina pulls Bhatti for four on third delivery. Raina pulls Bhatti for another four on the last ball of the over. India 91/3

Over 12: Skipper Hafeez back in the attack for Pakistan. Kohil hits 6 over mid-wicket on third delivery. Raina dropped in the slips by Afridi on last ball. India 81/3
-Pakistan were 76/3 at this point-

Over 11: Bilawal Bhatti bowls Yuvraj Singh on first ball of the over. S. Raina comes to the crease for India. Raina square cuts for four on 4th delivery. India 72/3

Over 10: Saeed Ajmal back into the attack for Pakistan. Sharma (24) bowled by Ajmal. Yuvraj Singh in at bat for India. India 65/2

Over 9: Shahid Afridi bowls his second over. Virat Kohli cuts for four on fifth delivery. India 63/1

Over 8: Umar Gul continues spell. Second delivery Sharma hits Gul for six over long on. Fifty partnership between Dhawan and Sharma. Dhawan hits Gul down the ground for four on fifth delivery. Dhawan out c. Ajmal b. Gul (24). India 54/1

Over 7: Shahid Afridi in for Pakistan. Three of the over. India 41/0

Over 6: Umar Gul brought into the attack. Dhawan plays it over the slips for a couple on the fourth delivery. Maqsood injured in the field on fifth ball. Dhawan flicks Gul for four. India 38/0
-At this point Pakistan were 34/1-

Over 5: Saeed Ajmal brought in for Pakistan. First two deliveries beauties to Dhawan who sweeps third ball for four. Four of the 4th deliver as Dhawan hits it down the ground. Dhawan sweeps again for four on last delivery behind square leg. India 31/0

Over 4: Sharma paddle sweeps Junaid for four on first delivery. Sharma charges down the track hits six over point on second ball. India 19/0

Over 3: Hafeez continues spell for Pakistan. Another good over for Pakistan only two runs scored. India 7/0

Over 2: Junaid Khan bowls for Pakistan. Good over for Pakistan only two off it. India 5/0

Over 1: M. Hafeez in to ball for Pakistan. S. Dhawan, R. Sharma open innings. India 3/0

------------------------------------------------------------------

Pakistan Innings


| WATCH: FIRST INNING ANALYSIS |

Over 20: Shami bowls last over. Maqsood hits it down the ground for six on first ball. Maqsood hits it down the ground one bounce for four on 3rd deliver. Maqsood run out on last delivery. Pakistan 130/7

Over 19: B. Kumar bowls. Afridi hits four on square leg on first delivery. Maqsood hits it straight down the ground for four on third delivery. Afridi out (8) c Raina b Kumar. Pakistan 115/6

Over 18: Shami brought back into the attack. Umar Akmal out c. Raina b. Shami for 33. Pakistan Sohaib Maqsood in at bat. Pakistan 104/5

Over 17: Jadeja bowls. Pakistan 102/4

Over 16: Mishra bowls. Shoaib Malik c. Raina b Mishra for 30 on second ball. Afridi in. Pakistan 100/4

Over 15: Ashwin bowls. Shoib goes over mid wicket, misfield again gets a four. Pakistan 96/3

Over 14: Jadeja bowling. Wide, ball slips out of Jadeja's hands. Good over for India. Pakistan 89/3

Over 13: Ashwin bowls. Shoib running well. Pakistan 83/3

Over 12: Mishra again. Umer cuts 1st ball for a couple. Shoib down the wicket hits 3rd ball for a six. 5th ball nudged to 3rd man for 2. Pakistan 76/3

Over 11: Yuvraj bowls. Umar pulls 2nd ball, misfielded and a boundry. Umar Akmal drive 5th ball through covers for 4. 13 off the over. Pakistan 63/3

Over 10: Jadeja for India. Good over for India, just 3 off it. Pakistan 50/3

Over 9: Mishra bowling again. Ahmed Shehzad st Dhoni b Mishra on 2nd ball. Shoib Malik comes in. Wicket maiden for Mishra. Pakistan 47/3

Over 8: R. Jadeja in for India. Shehzad cuts for three runs on second delivery. Hafeez out (15) c.B. Kumar b. Jadeja. Pakistan 47/2

Over 7: Mishra in for India. Pakistan 40/1.

Over 6: Shammi for India. Hafeez pulls but Yuvraj drops it. Shehzad hits boundry through covers on 2nd ball. Hafeez flicks through mid wicket for four on 5th ball. Pakistan 34/1

Over 5: B.Kumar bowls. Hafeez gets a couple with a chip over mid wicket. Pakistan 22/1

Over 4: Shami bowls for India. Keeps things quiet. Pakistan 17/1

Over 3: Ashwin bowls again. A.Shezad comes down the wicket and hits a four on last ball. Pakistan 15/1

Over 2: B.Kumar bowls for India. K.Akmal square cut for four on 4th delivery. Akmal (8) run out on fifth delivery. M.Hafeez in at bat. Pakistan 9/1

Over 1: R.Ashwin opens bowling for India. Kamran Akmal smashes four over square leg on second delivery. Pakistan 4/0

--------------------------------------------------------------------

SQUADS

PAKISTAN
Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal†, Mohammad Hafeez*, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Bilawal Bhatti, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan

INDIA
RG Sharma, S Dhawan, SK Raina, Yuvraj Singh, V Kohli, MS Dhoni*†, R Ashwin, RA Jadeja, A Mishra, B Kumar,Mohammed Shami


------------------------------------------------------------------

TOSS

India win toss and elect to bowl first

-----------------------------------------------------------------

PRE-MATCH CAPTAIN STATEMENTS

Mohammad Hafeez

Pakistan’s skipper Mohammad Hafeez said his team would take inspiration from a recent victory in the Asia Cup against India but conceded that MS Dhoni’s return would bolster the Indian team.

“Dhoni’s leadership is a key factor as he has done well over the past five-six years,” Hafeez said. “They’re a good batting side but having played in Bangladesh during the recent Asia Cup we have prepared well.”

Hafeez said he was not worried about statistics concerning the teams and that this was not necessarily the all-important game fans on either side of the border make it out to be.

“This is not the whole tournament. We have to do well as it is important to strike a good rhythm for the other matches ahead,” he said.

HAFEEZ ON TEAM SELECTION

HAFEEZ ON AFRIDI’S FITNESS


MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni said on Thursday that records don’t matter. “A lot of people talk about that (results in ICC world events) but everything depends on what we do on the field,” the Indian captain said on the eve of the high-profile game. “In fact, the gap between teams is very narrow and the smaller sides too have the talent to upset top sides in this format.”

India look a little vulnerable with Dhoni missing the recent 50-over Asia Cup in which they lost to both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Dhoni said it is only a matter of getting some things right in time.

“Our bowling is an area of concern and we also need to get good starts with our batting. If we have wickets in hand, we are always capable of scoring some 10-15 runs above par,” Dhoni said.

DHONI PRAISES SAEED AJMAL

-----------------------------------------------------------------

PRE-MATCH EXPERT ANALYSIS

WASIM AKRAM

JAVED MIANDAD

RAMIZ RAJA